Liberating the Learner: Lessons for Professional Development in Education »

There is clear evidence that the quality of children's learning in school is very dependant on the style of the teacher's approach and the learning environment he or she creates. This, in turn, is a reflection of teachers own beliefs, anxieties and enthusiasms about learning, often gained through their own educational experiences.
This edited volume provides a new framework for exploring teachers' views on a whole range of professional issues, for instance the nature of teaching and learning, the needs of students, and their own abilities as learners. Within this is presented a variety of case studies which illustrate how teachers' views impact upon students' learning.
The book builds on the well established assumption that teachers are themselves also learners and that the learning processes involved in professional development are in many ways the same as those involved in a classroom context.It shows how the conclusions drawn from this study can be used in a practical way to assist teachers' professional development throughout their career.
All teacher trainers and mentors who take seriously their role of helping children to be resourceful, resilient and reflective learners will find that this book helps them to achieve this aim.

Booknews

A group of fourteen education scholars from the University of Bristol School of Education consider the impact of teachers' belief systems on their approach to learning and teaching environments. Some of the contributors angle toward theoretical perspectives in integrated learning and implicit learning theories, while others range over the cultural spectrum from comparisons of English and Swedish teacher training to a student teacher visit to Gambia. Finally, the discussions center around more practical concerns in teacher education, development, mentoring and supervision. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)