CHAPTER FIVE
The First Teaching Practice
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After five weeks in the Institute the students begin their first
block teaching practice which consists of five weeks when they are
in school for four days a week. For Alternative Course students
spending their block teaching practice in a Further Education College
they spend three days in the College and continue with one day a
week in school. It is from those school group seminars conducted
on that day in school that aspects of the course during the first
teaching practice will be examined. Four themes are discussed in
this section.
Responsive structures
The relationship between the structure of the school group and the
function it performs is examined.. Continuity of work throughout
the PGCE year and possible relations with the probationary year are
explored as is the contribution of common school experience for all
members of the group. The place of the knowledge and experience
of the visiting tutor in the group's work is detailed and the distinc-
tiveness of this contribution from that of the Institute school group
tutor is examined.
Nature of pedagogy
The place of practice and experience in student learning is consid-
ered as well as how far aspects of that practice can and should be
responsive to individual student needs. The position of students
as learners in school is emphasised with recognition of the problem