Abstract

This book is designed to help the growing group of school-based teacher educators and those based in higher education develop excellent professional practice across their institutions. The first part of the book provides personal challenges to teacher educators, helping them to develop their own identity beyond that of being a classroom teacher and to recognise the values, knowledge and practices that are unique to them as part of the international community of teacher educators. This includes how to develop their pedagogy to embrace the needs of their trainees, and a realistic approach to developing an academic and scholarly aspect to their identity. The second part of the book describes some of the themes that underpin outstanding provision in teacher education including a broad curriculum, an enquiry-based approach, building a learning community, developing reflective practitioners, having an ethos of high aspiration, evaluation of impact and strong partnerships. Theory and practice are closely linked throughout with illustrations drawn from a variety of different settings.

This book is part of the successful Critical Guides for Teacher Educators series edited by Ian Menter.

Kim Joneshas worked as a Science teacher in Hertfordshire for 35 years and has been on the leadership team of a secondary academy for the last 12 years. She originally became involved in teacher education as the professional mentor at this school, overseeing the training of PGCE students from a number of universities. In 2004 the school joined the Alban Federation and began training teachers via an employment based route. In 2009 she took over as training manager for the Federation, which has since successfully become accredited as a SCITT and has been recognised as OFSTED as an outstanding provider.

Elizabeth Whitehas been working in employment based initial teacher training for five years whilst being employed as a secondary science teacher. In 2009 the provision was graded as outstanding by OFSTED. She was involved in setting up and now leads the School Direct Programme at the University of Hertfordshire. Her research has included a self-study of her experience as a new teacher educator and she is currently researching how to effectively support school-based teacher educators in their professional development.

Ian Menter (AcSS) is Professor of Teacher Education and Director of Professional Programmes in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford.  He previously worked at the Universities of Glasgow, the West of Scotland, London Metropolitan, the West of England and Gloucestershire.  Before that he was a primary school teacher in Bristol, England.  His most recent publications include A Literature Review on Teacher Education for the 21^st Century (Scottish Government) and A Guide to Practitioner Research in Education (Sage).  His work has also been published in many academic journals.

A very detailed review of the changing landscape of education providing both a national and a comparable international view on teacher education. The book offers a broad outline of practice as well as very specific guidance, advice and models on how to implement change. It addresses core issues such as the importance of working in partnership and what the key ingrediency for outstanding practice is.  An engaging read and ideal for busy practitioners as it is accessible, practical, and a succinct outline of key principles and models for effective practice.