Teacher rehearsal is a practice session where teachers work on improving their teaching skills outside of the classroom. It can help teachers develop new habits and enhance their skills. 

‘The EEF’s Effective Professional Development Guidance Report identifies five mechanisms that can develop teaching techniques. 

These are: 

• instructing teachers on how to perform a technique,  

• arranging practical social support,  

• modelling the technique,  

• providing feedback, and  

• rehearsing the technique. 

It’s thought that prompting the practice and rehearsal of a technique, at least once in a context outside of the classroom, may support teachers in enhancing their skills and embedding habits.’ (Grace Coker, 2024) 

So, why is teacher rehearsal important?  

• It bridges theory and practice by helping teachers to move beyond visualising their actions and put them into practice. 

• It helps teachers improve their practice by enhancing current skills, developing new skills and embedding good habits. 

• It can assist in identifying problems, difficulties or weaknesses in teaching and practice. 

• It helps teachers to think more carefully about what they say and do and identify common misconceptions pupils might have. 

Methods of rehearsal: 

• Role play – practice new techniques in role play situations. 

• Practice with a colleague – or coach in an emotionally safe and distraction free space. 

• Using a visualiser – practice modelling with a visualiser to ensure effective modelling, technology use, position, handwriting, materials etc. 

‘Rehearsal is when we practise a change to our teaching outside the classroom, either on our own or (even better) with the support of a colleague or coach. It’s important because: 

• Making a change to our teaching requires the repeated co-ordination of novel sequences of thought, speech, posture, and more—all at once. 

• The classroom is already a highly cognitively demanding environment. 

This combo means that when we try to make a change to our teaching within a lesson, we end up only being able to give it a fraction of our focus (and our students get less attention along the way).’ (Peps Mccrea, 2024) 

Making teacher rehearsal effective: 

• Focus on one change – focus on one small change rather than multiple changes. 

• Create a safe environment – ensure the environment is emotionally safe, free from distractions and s pace where teachers feel comfortable. 

• Get feedback – use feedback from an expert, coach or experienced colleague to help improve practice.  

This blog was written by Bretta Townend-Jowitt, Education Consultant and Trainer.