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subject or indeed specific curricular interest became apparent.for too
close an identification of the group with an interest or area could
preclude involvement in other areas that might be of particular
concern. The school group is concerned widely with the school and
although
members
see themselves as potential teachers of parti-
cular subjects there
is aι underlying assumption that this involves
broader explorations and considerations. The student teacher requires
a view of the whole school within which to establish his or her own
place and the teacher tutor can contribute to the development of
this in away which is
much more difficult and
perhaps
impossible for
the university tutor alone.
Relationshipof roles of university and teacher tutor
It is essential in moving to partnership to be clear about the rela-
tionship and distinct roles of the university and teacher tutor
otherwise the notion of partnership may slip into excessive concen
tration or duplication of effort.
The school group tutor knows the
school group and the variety of settings which inform its work.
In the initial phases of a group’s contact with the school he or
she is unlikely to be familiar with the range of subject departments
and other areas
of practice and development in the school which may
be the concern of the group.
The teacher tutor may not have total
knowledge
indeed
who within a school might have
but they have a
working knowledge
over time which provides much more than a map of
the territory.
This raises a question about the position and status
of the teacher tutor in the
school for it is obviously the case that
the Head
Deputies and staff of considerable experience and seniority
are in a unique position to ’know’ their schools. But their knowledge