ABSTRACT

What can classroom teachers usefully contribute to the initial professional education of entrants to their profession? That there is a need for practising teachers to make a major contribution has been argued from several different perspectives:

ideas about the kinds of knowledge which beginning teachers need and how these kinds of knowledge should relate to each other (eg, Benton, 1990; Booth et at., 1990; Furlong et. at.~ 1988)~· arguments based on research into the processes oflearning to teach (eg, Elliott and Calderhead, and Maynard and Furlong, in this volume; McIntyre, 1988); ideologically-motivated arguments against the influence of educational 'theorists' in universities and colleges, and in favour of a more 'commonsense' approach to learning the very 'practical' job of teaching (eg, Hillgate Group, 1989; Lawlor, 1990; O'Hear, 1988).