Daniel Whittaker
Senior Lecturer in Primary Initial Teacher Education
Primary Education
email: d.whittaker@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 855441
Dan teaches computing, behaviour and classroom management, research methods and professional studies in the primary initial teacher training. He is passionate about supporting trainee teachers to become confident and effective in their practice.
Before becoming a lecturer at the Institute of Education, Dan taught for 14 years in primary schools across Birmingham, leading computing, online engagement and safeguarding. Dan is a registered CEOP Ambassador.
Dan’s primary research interest is pupil-teacher relationships, and he is passionate about creating positive classrooms. His knowledge and enthusiasm for these underpin the ready-to-use, research-informed perspectives he offers to his students and in his professional writing. Dan combines these with his commitment to social justice in his doctoral research examining the discursive roots and effects of ‘no excuses’ schooling in the UK. Dan is passionate about securing excellent educational outcomes and experiences for children with SEND, especially for those children with Tourette’s Syndrome and ADHD.
Dan has delivered CPD and developed curriculum and pedagogy projects in schools across Europe. He has written and secured many Comenius/Erasmus+ grants and led his school to win the ‘HSBC International School of the Year Award’ while he was the international curriculum leader.
Qualifications
- Post Graduate Certificate for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education – University of Worcester (2022)
- PGCE Key Stage 2 and 3 Science – Newman College of Higher Education (2006)
- BSc (Hons) Biology and Geography – Keele University (2004)
Learn Upon Training completed
- Safer Recruitment
- Introduction to the Prevent Duty as it affects Higher Education
- Safeguarding Essentials
Teaching and Research
Teaching Interests
- Computing; computing and ICT across the curriculum
- Online safety and safeguarding
- Classroom and behaviour management
- Educational philosophy; social justice and equality/equity in the primary classroom
- SEND and inclusive practice, especially regarding the impact of Tourette’s Syndrome and ADHD
- Research literacy and methods
Research Interests
- The nature of the pupil-teacher relationship
- Developing positive classroom climates and pupil-teacher relationships
- Examining the discursive roots and effects of ‘no excuses’ schooling in the UK
Professional Bodies
- FHEA - Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- MCCT – Member of the Chartered College of Teaching
- CEOP Ambassador
Publications
Whittaker, D. (2024) ‘‘Alone in a Crowd’: Teacher-Level and Pupil-Level Hidden Curricula and the Theoretical Limits of Teacher–Pupil Relationships" Education Sciences 14 (5), 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050477