Abstract

This book provides a call to action for post-compulsory teacher education professionals, both in the UK and internationally, to unite around key principles and practices. The professional, educational and funding turbulence experienced by post-compulsory teacher education since 2008 has been significant. Austerity financing and increasing government intervention have provided many new and difficult challenges. At the same time evidence is building that the quality of teaching is the most important contributor to the quality of learning and achievement, and teacher education is demonstrably one of the most important influences on that teaching quality.

The mainly workplace-based partnership model of teacher education used in the post-compulsory education (PCE) sector resonates well with a number of key current developments in the UK and broader field of teacher education. PCE teacher educators are particularly well placed to tell their story and share their vision of a better future for teachers through their own experiences, values and principles. Written by a range of post-compulsory teacher educators, the text therefore is an informed and passionate argument for:

• improving the professional recognition of teacher education and teacher educators;
• demonstrating how teacher education already connects teaching professionals into an engaged and collaborative professional community;
• providing strategies to enact this vision through connected, democratic professionalism.

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

The text offers a wide range of suggestions and ideas for educators engaging in post compulsory education. It touches on the fact that this sector is often a ‘forgotten’ area and more needs to be done to develop colleagues within this area. The text offers a wide range of practical advice, guidance and models of good practice. It is accessible, engaging and allows the busy practitioner an opportunity to develop core skills in a succinct and thoughtful way.  It is a compact read filled with helpful support and an insightful chapter on ‘[e]nacting teacher education values, by Dr Vicky Duckworth. The text makes clear links to theory and specific advice on how to address core issues.

Jim Crawley a senior lecturer in education studies and a Teaching Fellow at Bath Spa University. He has over 35 years’ teaching experience, including teacher education, basic skills and adult and community learning. He co-ordinated post-compulsory teacher education at Bath Spa University for 12 years, gaining two Ofsted outstanding grades during that time.  Jim was chair of the Post-16 Committee of the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) between 2012 and 2015 and is the founder member, and now convener, of the national research network Teacher Education in Lifelong Learning (TELL).

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.