ABSTRACT
Teachers act with honesty and integrity, have strong subject knowledge, keep their knowledge and skills as teachers up-to-date and are self-critical. Furlong and Maynard propose five broad stages of development that student teachers undergo during school experience. Development as a student teacher is the product of, among other things, the complex interactions between the individual, the higher education institution (HEI) programme and the school context. However, the process of target-setting and realistic self-appraisal cannot happen in isolation, it needs to be done in conjunction with other beginning teachers, class teachers, the head of department, your tutor and, above all, your mentor. Reflective practice incorporates a variety of features including: problem-setting and solving. Collaborative teaching will enable one to develop your classroom skills, knowledge and understanding progressively and coherently. Departmental meetings are at the heart of a teacher's working life and are an excellent source for your own professional development.
