A School Advisor Association: Seeking Ways to Change Substantively the Role Played by Classroom Teachers in Preservice Teacher Education

Anthony Clarke and Ted Riecken

 

 

Abstract

In recent years we have written and spoken about the role of school advisors (sometimes known as school associates, cooperating teachers, or sponsor teachers) in practicum settings. We concluded these pieces by arguing that teachers should play a more substantive role in ensuring that school advisors are professionally ready, carefully selected, and continually supported in their work as teacher educators. We take this opportunity to extend those arguments and to imagine a scenario in which this might occur. Moving beyond what is to what might be, we suggest establishing at a regional level a formal body-a School Advisor Association for want of a better term-that comprises classroom teachers who in concert with faculties of education play a central role in the development, selection, and support of school advisors.


Copyright © AJER, the Faculty of Education, and the University of Alberta, 2001.
Last revised
: February 6, 2001.

Designed by G.H. Buck