Ill
CHAPTER FOUR
The first term - before teaching practice
The analysis of four transcripts from three different school group
meetings
the basis of this section.
Students had begun their
one day a week in school and the structures of that day with its
seminar remains throughout the course. In the Institutez, Principles
and Methods, Curriculum and Options and the Education course were
beginning. Alongside these is the school group seminar,-a weekly
meeting taking place on Friday morning in the Institute. The find-
ings are organised under the following themes:
Responsive structures
The nature of the Alternative Course is examined and the integrative
function of the school group is stressed. This integration occurs
across the disparate courses that make up the PGCE as well as between
The continuity of the
that work and the school experience.
school group work gives a future orientation within and beyond the
initial training year. Continuity and coherence are served by the
active representation of facets of the students* work in required
course work.
The students, experience in and of the school is essential to the
development of the professional discourse which is the aim of the
course.
The role of the school group tutor enables
the students’
personal
and
institutional concerns
to
become
a part of the course
agenda.
In two of the groups this is enhanced by the availability
teacher-tutor who
is
member
of the
school
staff who works