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to teach, teaching to learn is as applicable to university teachers
of teachers as it is to their students.
For practitioners in teacher
education
no matter at what level they theorise and seek to concep-
tualise their own practice
their future practice is an
important
and rightful concern.
When the pressure for re-consideration and
change is imminent as it is now this becomes central.
Change needs to be informed by the knowledge that is possessed about
the present practice of teacher education and particularly when this
derives from a practice which attempts to link schools and training
institutions. It is not enough for teacher education to uncritically
move to schools. As Reid (1984) points out
Fundamentally
there has been very little experiment-
ation with alternative teacher training models.
He cautions against the uncritical swing to more school-based PGCE
courses
..... merely to transfer the weight of initial training
from an antiquated pedagogic base to a so-called
enlightened practical school-focussed approach, as
is currently fashionable, is no answer.
What is required is careful attention to developed practice which
is both
school-focused and education centred.
Whilst the school base
is essential the PGCE must have a firm focus
and
commitment
to the
student’s future career as
a teacher.
Given
the pressures for change in schools their career
is likely to be located
in schools that are not identical with those
of the training year.
This has to be stressed for the temptation
of school-based work is
a misplaced faith in the value of immediacy
and a narrow definition