On the Way to Phronesis: Delving into Stories of School Based Experiences of Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

There exists an on-going debate on the gap between the
academic aspect of teacher education and the reality of school life. In
response to this issue, many teacher training institutions propose on-job
placement or ‗School Based Experience‘. In Mauritius, trainee teachers
are posted in schools with a view to provide them with work-based
learning opportunities and expose them to the world of schools. A
narrative enquiry has been adopted to investigate ways in which preservice                                                                                                                         teachers have lived their school-based practicum in relation to
the knowledge acquired during their training. Data was collected from
stories narrated during focus group seminars and analysed using
Haynes (2007)1 Key Steps. The study sheds light on ways in which
trainee teachers faced the diversity and complexity of the school milieu
as an experiential learning space. It also leads to the understanding of
their concerns as they negotiate their way along the journey of
reconciliation between teacher education and experiences of school life.
Key findings relate to both the benefits and setbacks of work based
learning. The authors recommend that there is a need to revisit the
partnership which exist between the teacher education institution and
schools.