To educate or to train? Reflections on being a PGCE Tutor

1. To educate or to train?Reflections on being a PGCE Tutor Margaret Roberts

2. “All teachers are, at some time or other, faced with the personal dilemma of deciding whether to be committed to their educational values or whether they should simply play their role, advance their prospects and leave the commitment to somebody else. It is one thing to acquire a stock of sophisticated teaching competences and skills; it is quite another to have the educational value of teaching as an ultimate professional concern.

3. But teaching is only a genuine profession in so far as its members can make judgements about what is educationally valuable and worthwhile, free from external pressures and constraints. Resisting these pressures – not allowing them to subvert the commitment to an educational philosophy – is very difficult. But there is a world of difference between trying to do something that is very difficult and doing something that does not make any educational sense. (Carr, 1995)`

4. What is our role in HE? “trying to do something that is very difficult or doing something that does not make any educational sense” • Context in which I started as PGCE tutor • Constraints and dilemmas • Is our ‘ultimate professional concern’ education or training?

5. 1969 1976 1975

6. 1971 1980 1977

7. National Curriculum Competencies and standards Ofsted Objectives Strategies Plenaries VAK Terminology Constraints and dilemmas

8. Q15 Know and understand the relevant statutory frameworks.. 1991 1999

9. Q25 b: …enable learners to meet learning objectives’ “There are only ever choices…. When choices are made and accepted by a sufficient number of teachers they tend to become ‘common sense” (Castree, 2005)

10. Q25 Use a range of teaching strategies and resources E3 Have a critical understanding of the most effective …strategies..

11. Plenaries

12. Supervision: towards understanding and judgements? Q 7a Reflect on and improve their practice, and take responsibility for identifying and meeting their developing professional needs Q9 Act upon advice and feedback and be open to coaching and mentoring

13. Neuromythologies • Geake, J. (208) Neuromythologies in Education, Educational Research, 50, 2, pp. 123-133. • Coffield, F. et al, (2004) Learning Styles and pedagogy in post 16 learning: a systematic and critical review, Learning and Skills Research Centre.

14. Why not sooner? E2 Research and evaluate innovative curricular practices and draw on research outcomes and other sources of external evidence to inform their own practice and that of colleagues.

15. “There are only ever choices about what to teach, how to teach and to what ends” (Castree, 2005) “The principle goal of education is to create men (sic) who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done…” Piaget

16. EDUCATION Critical engagement Challenging taken for granted Being aware of different ‘frames’ Making judgements about choices Making own judgements about practice in context Having healthy scepticism TRAINING Acceptance of policy Following accepted practices ‘Best Practice’ Using a variety of procedures Accepting the judgements of others Adopting the latest idea Summary