This thesis seeks to: 1) establish reasons for the introduction of Competenceand Standards-based Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England and Wales; 2) assess the impact ofCompetences and Standards on Secondary RE ITT; 3) offer proposals for a new 'multidimensional' RE ITT paradigm. The thesis is structured around four research questions. The first research question: Why were Competences and Standards introduced into the lIT process? informs a historical inquiry into the origins of Competences and Standards in Part 1. The second and third research questions: To what extent do documents such as 9/92 and 4/98 represent idealized models of teacher training and assessment? and How do Ofsted inspectors interpret ITT Competences and Standards in practice?, are considered in Part 2, where DfEE Circulars 9/92, 4/98 and other ITT inspection-related materials are analyzed and critiqued. The fourth research question: Can Standards be successfully integrated into ITT structures that seek to develop personal and professional qualities that lie far beyond the mechanical acquisition of depersonalized and decontextualized skills, behaviours and knowledge? leads in Part 3 to the presentation of proposals for new Secondary RE ITT structures. After outlining the salient features of these proposed ITT structures, possible barriers to their successful implementation are considered.

This study investigates the extent and nature of mathematics anxiety in primary school teacher trainees in Malaysia, and identifies the factors that are associated with it. This is qualitative research and hence the approach is to understand the current phenomenon and to obtain a rich and in-depth insight into significant issues. Three methods for obtaining data are used: questionnaires, interviews and observations of subjects doing mathematics. Evidence for the nature and source of mathematics anxiety was derived from what the teacher trainees said about (a) their perceptions of mathematics; (b) themselves with regard to mathematics (self-image); (c) their feelings towards mathematics; and (d) their behaviour when doing mathematics. Hands-on mathematics was given to the teacher trainees in order to observe how mathematics anxiety affects them in an actual scenario of doing mathematics. Interviews were carried out immediately after the hands-on observations in order to give the teacher trainees opportunities to explain their actions. Teachers-students relationship, teachers' style of teaching, examination pressure, parental and peer group influences were identified as the main factors contributing to the trainees' mathematics anxiety. The cultural setting for these factors emerged from the research as being of particular significance.

Recently, teacher preparation programs have called for an increased awareness of issues surrounding the teaching of linguistic and cultural minority students. As the majority of preservice teachers are white and female, and with the growing diversity of incoming students, there is a noticeable need for discussions of race, privilege and power in teacher preparation programs. One way to open up this dialogue is with the use of narratives and autobiographies connected to courses in antiracist, multicultural education. In this qualitative study, a case study methodology was used to demonstrate the promise of autobiography as a tool for unpacking preservice teachers racial identities so that they might become better teachers for an increasingly diverse student population. This study took place over the course of an eight-week seminar which I conducted with three white, female preservice teachers. All three participants were required to complete this seminar as it is a mandatory course for their program. The setting for this seminar was a small, liberal arts college in a large city in the Southwestern United States. To better understand these three preservice teachers expressed beliefs of multicultural education and how these beliefs might be influenced by this seminar, multiple data sources were collected including recordings of class discussions, field notes, analytic memos, written documents and classroom artifacts. The constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) and analytic induction (LeCompte & Preissle, 1993) were used to analyze and interpret the data. Three major themes emerged from the data: what we learned; race, power and privilege; and narrative and autobiography as learning tools. Implications for teacher education from these cases include recommendations for curriculum and pedagogy, considerations for white preservice teachers, and the need for honesty and engagement in multicultural education courses.

The focus of this research was on student teachers who are anomalies, in particular those who appear to begin their practicum in a state of affirmation, able effectively to negotiate many of the roles of "teacher" and appear to have few classroom problems. In this report these student teachers are referred to as "Naturals." This investigation sought to explore variation and examine the sources of difference focusing on both the context and the individual. A Natural student teacher was identified, and, utilizing qualitative methodology, observational and interview data were used to create a case to describe this student teacher's experience and unique characteristics. The case of Wendy as a student teacher demonstrated that her practicum semester was characterized by: an ongoing state of enjoyment, flourishing relationships with her cooperating teacher and students, and a focus on a productive learning environment. Using Csikszentmihalyi's (1975) theory of optimal experience and flow, the unique characteristics of Wendy's student teaching are found to be both individual and contextual in source.

This dissertation examined a mentoring program developed in a unified public school in Arizona. The Arizona State Department of Education has established certification requirements to include a performance-based assessment of pedagogical skills. The enactment of these requirements coincided with a national movement supporting performance-based standards. To date, program requirements have not been established by the Department of Education, and school districts are responsible for verifying each teacher's acquisition of the professional teaching standards. The studied school district established a pilot mentoring program to help induct, support, and retain new teacher employees. The focus of the mentoring experience was to support the professional teaching standards. The purpose of this study was to record, document, and compare the perceptions of 26 new teachers and 35 mentor teachers participating in this program. Responses from participant surveys were analyzed using descriptive analyses, t-tests, and correlations. Additionally, participant interviews and a document analyses provided insight and clarification of the quantitative data. The findings indicated that new teachers perceive an increase in their preparedness to teach over the course of the year. Emotional support was perceived as the most beneficial mentoring activity. A negative correlation was found between the time spent engaged in mentoring and the overall perceived level of support/assistance. A significant difference in the perceived value of the program was found between mentor teachers and new teachers. Descriptive data suggested that mentoring activities were related to the professional teaching standards. Mentoring appears to have supported the induction of new teachers into the district. The recommendations implied from this study are that future research is necessary for a better understanding of mentoring. The findings indicated the variable of time spent mentoring was unstable and specific to the dyad. The study was limited by the small sample size and points to the need of annual data gathering.

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It is estimated that nearly 90% of the teaching force is comprised mostly of female middle-class European Americans; whereas the student population has become increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse. These teachers have been isolated from a significant part of the population they are likely to teach and have developed entrenched, ethnocentric identities with little, if any, knowledge about or experience with culturally or linguistically diverse children (Finney & Orr, 1995; Ladson-Billings, 1991). It is this concern which served as a catalyst for the present research study in pedagogical possibility for culturally diverse students. Since research studies in both inservice and preservice training in cultural diversity and multicultural education have indicated limited success. The present study focused on how four exemplary elementary school teachers developed their pedagogical practices for teaching in culturally diverse settings. Three broad areas were investigated: (a) background, (b) practice, and (c) origin of practice. The findings indicate that teachers who are known for their exemplary practices with culturally diverse populations of students adopt a relaxed, child-focused approach to classroom activities. The teachers believe that their students can be successful, and they have a strong sense of their own efficacy as professionals. With regard to culture, these teachers expressed a clear view of their own cultural identity and celebrated the cultural diversity and richness in their classes. They encouraged their students to expend effort, take risks, and raise questions. They structured their classroom to engender a sense of community and a collaborative approach to learning. They are passionate about knowledge and learning and see knowledge as an emerging, growing entity. Finally, their practices fit within the broad framework of what is generally understood as developmentally appropriate practice. Formal preparation in preservice or inservice programs were not significant factors in developing their classroom understandings or practices. Personal background and classroom contacts appear, from these interviews, to be the primary factors shaping the practices of these exemplary teachers. In addition, the teachers mentioned mentors and significant others in their personal lives who gave them a sense of confidence, love of self, and dedication to education.

Two preservice English teachers' theories of the content regarding English and its teaching were elicited through several interactive interview tasks. Belief exploration tasks (concept mapping, text and topic sorting sentence completions, lesson plans, and writing the personal theory of the content) encouraged the participants to express and share their personal theories about English teaching. Pedagogical interpretation tasks (analyses of their own teaching experiences, reflections on cases of other English teachers, responses to pictures of teachers, and hypothetical situations) encouraged the participants to contemplate and rationalize their own and others' teaching decisions. The completed written tasks, additional lesson plans, and interview transcripts of task discussions were compiled in each participant's personal content belief archive. Both participants' archives were analyzed to compare the content and the manner of their responses to each task. The participants related personal experiences, lesson ideas, comments about students, and beliefs about English and teaching. The participants hesitated or requested clarifications during some tasks but confidently completed others. Besides content and confidence, differences in rate of speech and tone indicated the very personal nature of these beliefs. Each participant also reviewed and analyzed her own archive at various points, supporting, clarifying, and exemplifying the conclusions reached by the researcher. Each participant's archive was further analyzed to identify trends in personal theories. A comparison between participants suggested both held personal theories about the role of the teacher, the specific English content and skills students should be taught, the usefulness of these skills, and the means each used to continue learning about English and its teaching. Ultimately, the participants referenced their theories of the content and their attempts to enact them as they discussed their student teaching. Implications included the increased reflection by the participants after completing the tasks and analyzing their archives, and the depth and variety of information about preservice teachers' practical knowledge gathered through the study tasks. Thus, the study added to what is currently known about preservice teachers' knowledge and their ability to articulate and reflect on their knowledge as they teach and learn.