Cara Broadhurst has worked in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) for several years with responsibility for the undergraduate teaching placement modules at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education (IoE). Last year, she was invited to write a book chapter, titled ‘How can I work to ensure a positive primary school placement?’.

 

Informed by Cara’s own experience as a teacher educator and existing research on placement learning, reflective practice, and mentoring, the chapter has a nice combination of practical application ideas and research-informed perspectives. The student reader is expected to have a reflective stance as they seek to understand the theories that underpin placement dynamics and successful performance in the classroom.

Cara’s chapter appears in a book titled, ‘Primary teaching: Learning and teaching in primary schools today’, which is designed to be a comprehensive source of informed advice for any ITT student who is on a training route into primary teaching. The book, edited by Catherine Carden (2018) and published by SAGE’s Learning Matters, was published on 8th December 2018.

This is a fantastic example of research-informed scholarship by an experienced teacher educator here at the IoE. The chapter will, no doubt, have positive impact on many of our own teacher trainees as well as those at other institutions. Many congratulations, Cara!