141
The political dimensions of the discussion are apparent
ore
personal
ones are only suggested here and are later explored sensitively by
SSl in her coursework. There she focussed on her teaching of adoles-
cents who follow
a social studies syllabus that included education,
social class and social mobility but not necessarily linked between
themselves or to the adolescent experience of them. Another focus
was the personal consequences for herself of higher education and
teacher education - both more difficult and not well charted. Whilst
the first focus is recognisably a legitimate pursuit in
education there is no such established place for the latter. And
teacher
students it is their own personal experience which
exerts a most powerful influence on them as teachers. Sensitive
consideration of such issues with direct relevance to intending
teachers is found in Jackson and Marsden's (1975 ) Education and
the Working Class and Richard Hoggart's ( 1958 ) Uses of Literacy,
both texts stemming from working on personal experience. They indi-
cate the learning that can emerge from such confrontation. Personal
experience becomes more effective through being both realised and
incorporated. It is important to recall here the student's diary
and the link through to written course work. A student noted early
on in the course (4.1.dii) the emotional character of certain observ-
Without that later
ations and the difficulty of confronting them.
confrontation
the Subejctive
Il
ιpressions
of the diary might well
be accounted a superfluous indulgence.
If they help the student
and tutor to
work with and
beyond what are
painful
experi-
ences they have a value and
a real place in professional education.
The emphasis in this section.
been upon
what the student brings
to the PGCE and the part that it should play in the course. Early