Product reviews for The Lazy Teacher's Handbook – New Edition

The idea of being a -˜lazy' teacher may already be held by many people outside of the education sector but this book may actually help you to work less and the students work more. It is full of ideas that remind you just what good teaching actually is: allowing the teacher time to pause and the pupils  time to learn. It is an update to the previous edition of the book (published in 2010), combining the feedback and hints from many other practitioners rather than just the author himself, and therefore this edition is packed with even more useful strategies than before.

As a teacher with a number of years' experience I have read a large number of books about -˜new' pedagogical theories concerning good practice and then, after a short period of use, they have been forgotten owing to a lack of pupil engagement and I have reverted to how I was taught. However, this book encourages the reader to use what works and implement a few changes to ensure maximum learning is achieved. I read it cover to cover in just under a day. It is easy to read, quick to pick up and whether you read a section or all of it, you are likely to find something useful.

The book is broken down into chapters, from how to structure a lesson, marking and feedback, the use of IT, to differentiation and the use of teaching assistants. It has a bit of everything for any reader to gain hints and tips on. Sometimes these are a little bit simple and other times they are a little improbable (inviting the local mayor as a guest marker), but always there is a seed of an idea that could be developed given the time and inclination. In fact, much of this book thrives on the idea that sensible planning will lead to more work from the students and consequently more learning happening, with less effort from the -˜lazy' teacher.

I enjoyed this book and it was significantly more accessible than other books on pedagogy. I found it more tailored for the lower age groups (possibly key stages 2 and 3) but the amusing dialogue and the witty one-liners did make it a book I would dip into time and time again for reassurance, a simple smile or a quick idea. It is not a book for hard and fast detailed strategies; however, if you want a quick refresh or some simple inspiration then this is the book for you.