93
When we began the Alternative Course we were well
aware of the ’theoretical’ strengths of the Institute.
We were equally and more painfully aware that in
our
view
these
strengths ,
whether
emanating
from
the so-called disciplines or subject method depart-
ments, did not guarantee their productive relation
with practice - and this we felt to be equally the
case applied to ourselves, our students, or schools
more generally. (Jones 1981 P21)
Staff were familiar with the departmentally patterned response
that
students developed both to theory and to practical experience. It
is likely that
to a significant extent they
remained unaware of the
extent to which they themselves worked within the patterning of these
accommodations .
Indeed it is probably the
case that the PGCE itself
contributes both to the nature and to the style of the accommodations
and that they become an expected feature of its reality. The research
on the Alternative Course pointed to the persistence of this feature
particularly in the subject method work. But the school group itself
created a space
where both university tutors
and students and some
teachers
and teacher-tutors had to confront the very real
differences between them, their ideas and their institutions.
A further ai
of the course was "to develop a working relationship
between the schools and the Institute” (Jones 1981 P6) but from
the outset hopes for harmony have
had to be balanced with the reality
in which this had to be worked for.
The following extract refers
to this reality.
At the outset we
status of teacher
should
make the point
that the
education is not high in schools
and whilst a most undesirable fact of life for
teacher education, this is a mixed blessing for any
innovation.
be any worse
the capacity
Welcomes along the
than
’It can't
' or downright cynicism about
of any innovation to solve the problems
are probably as common as is ready acceptance of
co-partnership in an ongoing enterprise. The