Review
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'I found Tom's book wise, balanced, practical, and grounded in
research. I'm confident it will help teachers not only to choose
the best guidance but to implement it and what's more to
coordinate it with other sounds ideas. It's a compelling road
to building a successful school.' Doug Lemov, author Teach Like A
Champion and Reading Reconsidered
'Tom Sherrington is a rare thing- a head teacher who can write,
not just elegantly, but intelligently. One would be valuable
enough. Being capable of both make him and his work essential
reading for school leaders everywhere. He also has the gift of
not only a career full of experience, but the capacity to unpack
his experience in such a way as to make it not just intelligible,
but relevant. One of the reasons for this is that he embraces the
complexity of the school leader's role without losing of
the overarching moral purposes to leadership. Rather than writing
a book - as so many books on leadership are - of 'here's what I
did and you should do it too, ' he assists the reader in
developing their own journey through what may or may not work -
and in what contexts. Accessible without being reductivist,
intelligent without being opaque, this should be on the
bookshelves of any school leader interested in reflecting on what
they do.' Tom Bennett, Director of ResearchEd
'What is truly astonishing about this book is the a of
distilled wisdom packed into it. It combines a huge a of
significant research with decades of Tom's own invaluable
experience of working at the chalk-face to form a coherent,
practical and thought provoking book that will be an
indispensable guide for years to come. Simply put, this is the
book I wish I had read when I started teaching.'
--Carl Hendrick, head of research, Wellington College
Review
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‘What is truly astonishing about this book is the a of
distilled wisdom packed into it. It combines a huge a of
significant research with decades of Tom’s own invaluable
experience of working at the chalk-face to form a coherent,
practical and thought provoking book that will be an
indispensable guide for years to come. Simply put, this is the
book I wish I had read when I started teaching.”
Carl Hendrick, head of research, Wellington College
This book is packed full of practical wisdom about classroom
teaching. Tom Sherrington draws upon his own wide ranging
experience from his career as a teacher, adding reflective
in as a prolific blogger and educational thinker. The
content includes presentation of research-informed pedagogy
gained from the world of cognitive science successfully combined
with down-to-earth examples of how research theory can achieve
powerful impact within the busy classroom. Written in an
entertaining style using the extended metaphor of a 'managed
rainforest' this book provides a useful and compelling read for
anyone interested in education.
Dame Alison Peacock
Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching
Tom Sherrington takes the metaphor of the forest to shape his
arguments about practice and in doing so, helps the reader to get
purchase on some really important ideas. 'The Learning Forest’ is
a piece of work underpinned by humility - nothing ever goes quite
to plan. Well, that’s a , because I thought it was just me.
Tom uses the personal to explain the bigger picture and makes the
case for humour, compassion and heart being at the centre of our
work. Tom has managed to balance the big picture with detail, the
theoretical with the practical, and has produced a work which
everyone, at whatever stage in their career, will find
invaluable.
Mary Myatt, education adviser, author of ‘High Challenge, Low
Threat’ ‘Hopeful Schools’
In the time I have known Tom Sherrington – in person and online
– I have learnt so much about pedagogy and classroom practice
from his blogs and tweets. Now it’s a treat to have a compendium
of his experience, wisdom and ins, all rooted in such an
optimistic view about why great teaching matters. This is likely
to be an indispensable book for classroom practitioners at all
stages of their career.”
Geoff Barton | General Secretary
Association of School and College Leaders
I love the humility that comes through in the reflections of
Tom’s personal experiences and find his find his thoughts and
ideas inful and highly optimistic about the profession and
the art and craft of teaching. Reading it in my headteacher role,
it feels as though Tom has articulated my truth – he talks to the
challenges we face: balancing autonomy with routines, progress
with tradition, maverick and creative personalities with
compliance. He gives a beautiful articulation and drawing
together of the concepts, ideas, philosophies and issues that
head teachers like myself grapple with in order to achieve the
best possible education for their students. I like that he is not
preaching a quick fix for great teaching but drawing together
‘the best of what has been thought and said’ in education to open
up teachers’ minds to the creative flux of the learning
rainforest! It’s like a Bill Bryson ‘short’ of everything
teaching related! Part 2 is a ‘godsend’; the explanations and
ideas within each strand (C, K, P) and the emphasis on mode A
teaching is brilliant. It’s a great book; a ‘must read’ for all
teachers.
Sam Gorse, Headteacher Turton High School, Bolton
This book is a big leap forward in transcending the sterile
debates between traditionalists and progressives. Hacking through
the undergrowth of academic research and passing fads, Tom takes
his readers on a journey (through the rainforest) to the sunny
uplands of classrooms in which powerful learning and rich
experiences can flourish.
This is a great book to read for those who want to be better
informed about the education debate today. Tom’s passion for
great teaching shines through on every page. He is a great writer
and a great thinker and one of the most perceptive and inful
analysers of the education system.
Tom’s gift is for getting beneath the arguments and bluster and
making sense of complex issues, whether it is the curriculum,
assessment or developments in brain science.
Fans of his blog will not be disappointed – fresh ins and
clarity jump out of every page. Practical strategies give
teachers a much-needed toolkit of workable practice. Whether you
agree with every word here is not the point – this is a book that
will get you thinking, reflecting, changing the way you teach,
and questioning the very essence of effective teaching.”
Peter Hyman, Executive Headteacher, School 21
