Student Teachers in School Practice

'"Douglas has provided a thorough description and analysis of the interactions of student teachers with schools and mentors in their practicum, through an ethnographic Case Study qualitative approach. ... I read Douglas' book and learned much more than I expected, in methodology as much as in novice teacher education. I can recommend it wholeheartedly, especially for those running courses entirely based in schools." (John Oversby, Journal of Education for Teaching, Vol. 41 (5), December, 2015)"In an educational era characterized by oversimplified solutions to complex problems, Alaster Scott Douglas provides in this study a deeper, richer look into how schools and departmental faculty work than is usually envisioned in the creation of educational policy. Policymakers and teacher educators would be wise to read this research and learn that learning to teach is a multidimensional, difficult process whose effects cannot be easily reduced to student test scores or other superficial measures of how teaching affects learning." - Peter Smagorinsky, Distinguished Research Professor of English Education, The University of Georgia, USA"This book makes a significant contribution to the growing literature examining teacher education. In doing so, it asks new and important questions about the nature of the practicum in particular and the aims of initial teacher education in general. The clearly written account of 'Market Town High School' and 'Downtown University', and the work they engage in together to prepare new teachers, should be compulsory reading for everyone who cares about teacher education and the role of the teaching practicum." - Joce Nuttall, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Australian Catholic University"At a time when teacher education systems around the world are placing increased importance on student teachers' learning in schools, this book offers very valuable analyses of how, why, where and when opportunities for learning can be developed. In