In 2016, Oliver Lovell set out to interview sixty of the world’s most prominent education experts, including Tom Sherrington, Anita Archer and John Hattie, to find out what it takes to become the best teacher possible. "Tools for Teachers" is the result: wide-ranging and practical.
The structure suits busy school leaders. Oliver distils each expert's key ideas into short, usable sections, which makes the book a good resource for staff training days or for your own professional development. It manages depth without losing accessibility.
It covers a wide range: pedagogy, assessment, classroom management and curriculum design.
It also prompts reflection, asking you to look critically at your own practice and giving concrete strategies to improve teaching.
For headteachers and teachers alike, it is a book to keep on the shelf, whether you want ideas for staff CPD or for your own development.
About the book
- Author: Oliver (Ollie) Lovell, an educator and author. His own site says the book summarises the most useful techniques, tactics and mental models from conversations with sixty teachers, leaders and researchers over five years, including John Hattie, Dylan Wiliam and Daisy Christodoulou.
- Full title: Tools for Teachers: How to teach, lead, and learn like the world's best educators.
- Publisher: John Catt Educational (now Hachette Learning). Paperback published 27 April 2022, 296 pages, ISBN 9781915261069.
Sources: publisher listing on Hachette Learning and the author's page at ollielovell.com, checked 13 October 2026.