Being a teacher is far from easy. Being the best teacher you can be is even tougher.
The authors argue there are two things every teacher needs to get right so that they feel fulfilled and challenged in what they do.
Firstly, they need to continually develop their craft through effective professional learning.
Secondly, they need to map out a career path that has progression as its defining feature.
There are very few people who manage to do both things well. Education doesn’t stand still, so being a good teacher means being in a constant state of evolution.
How do we achieve this? Covering the latest developments in professional learning, Kate Jones and Robin Macpherson look at the changes the pandemic brought to professional learning, which they treat as a shift with real opportunities.
The other half of the book is career progression, which they frame as making the right professional choices.
Are you a one school person for your whole time in teaching?
Do you change location or role?
Do you harbour leadership ambitions?
And crucially, how do you finish your career on a high?
Working out what you want to achieve in your teaching life is a core focus of the book, and is addressed through a range of interviews, case studies, and challenge questions.
It is not about telling you what to do but prompting you to reflect on what you do.
Who it is for
The publisher pitches it at anyone who wants to make the most of their time in education, for their students and for themselves. For a headteacher, it is useful when planning staff professional learning and when talking with colleagues about their next career step, including whether to move into leadership.
About the book
- Authors: Kate Jones and Robin Macpherson.
- Full title: The Teaching Life: Professional Learning and Career Progression.
- Publisher: Hachette UK. Paperback published 6 December 2021, ISBN 9781913622893; also available as an ebook.
Source: publisher listing on Hachette UK, checked 13 October 2026.
