During the 1980s, Britain s educational system was restructured and redirected. Of the many changes which were made, perhaps the most far-reaching have affected the education of teachers themselves.The contributors to this book have all been centrally involved in the reforming process of teacher education, as providers, assessors, or practitioners, and it is as such that they reflect upon the significant features of the changes in teacher education, while assessing the fulfilment of the initial promise. The book analyses recent advances in teacher education, especially the trend towards improved teacher awareness and explains the application of new ideas in education, considering their political causes and effects. The first critical appraisal of the Thatcherite reform of teacher education, this book also provides an up-to-date examination of the support services for teachers in-service, and shows what is amiss with the government s strategies for in-service training.With its clear insights into the pressing concerns of teacher education today, Advances in Teacher Education will be an invaluable resource base for students, teachers, lectures, and educational administrators as they attempt to understand the motivation and stresses of teacher reform.