ABSTRACT
In Many Ways, the role of the teaching practice schools is more obvious than that of the university Here there are classes full of children to practise on, real teachers to provide role models and school structures and routines to provide stability and support. It would be naive to suggest, however, that the school practice is the straight-forward part of the course or that consistency of experience can be guaranteed across schools. Whilst striving to provide comparable provision, there will inevitably be variation and this can be a strength particularly when students are placed in more than one school, as is common on many courses. In mathematics, for instance, a good contrast may be obtained by doing practice in a department which adheres to one textbook scheme and in one where the department members select from a variety of sources or produce their own.
