The Research-Informed Educator

The Research-Informed Educator supports teachers in developing their professional identity and practice through engagement with research and evidence. It helps both new and experienced educators look beyond the pressures of recent policy demands about what teachers should know and do. The book aims to challenge and re-balance the recent "evidence-turn" in teacher training and development. The chapters cover the career path of a teacher, introducing and developing key concepts and issues related to research and practice. Concepts such as the nature of evidence, the role of theory and experience, and the significance of professional identities and values are explored through practical engagement with issues teachers face in their work. Each chapter is written by an experienced teacher now working in teacher education, drawing on shared knowledge of how teachers best engage with research. The book is designed to support practitioners in understanding how their relationship with evidence may change, as they gain experience and take on new professional roles.