Implications for Primary School-Based Teacher Education

This chapter considers implications for the policy, nature, structure and practice of school-based teacher education arising from issues which have been considered in previous chapters, and in the context of arrangements for primary initial teacher education under Circular 14/93. Government requirements for primary initial teacher education in Circular 14/93 adjust the concept of partnership to place an increased emphasis on schools’ contribution to initial teacher education. The chapter presents the broad structure of the mentoring process and looks at issues connected with its organization. It provides separate attention to the contributions of schools and higher education institutions within a context of partnership. Higher education institutions are also required to ensure that all schools wishing to play a part in initial teacher education are able to do so. However, education involving personal change takes far more time than does induction and skills training.