ABSTRACT
The number of studies on teacher thinking continues to expand. However, the vast proportion of these concentrate on issues such as teacher thinking as it may affect classroom practice, curriculum design and implications for teachers’ professional development. Elbaz (1990) drew attention to the fact that most studies concentrated on the thinking of the ‘extraordinary’ teacher and that there is a need to consider teachers in a wide range of settings. Pope (1993) suggested that, if research on teacher thinking was to remain a progressive endeavour, new areas need to be investigated. Whilst research on student teacher thinking is not a new research area within ISATT, it nevertheless represents an area that warrants further attention. Students in training are already working in schools and developing their personal knowledge and thinking about the craft of teaching. Their experiences during training will have impact on their thinking when they enter the profession. In our view, it is important that teacher educators are sensitive to student teachers’ views and that personal tutors and student counsellors should be aware of student thinking with regard to aspects of experience in college or within schools that may be particularly stressful.
