Becoming a teacher educator: guidelines for the induction of newly appointed lecturers in Initial Teacher Education

These guidelines aim to stimulate debate and action to improve the induction of new university-based teacher educators. The guidelines are based on our interpretation and application of research but also on the experience of teacher educators but also other generic work on becoming an academic. Teacher educators teaching on initial teacher education (ITE) courses in higher education (HE) institutions in England are almost always appointed with prior experience of being qualified school teachers, with considerable experience of teaching and of middle or senior management in the school sector. Entering higher education they bring with them a wealth of pedagogical knowledge and expertise accrued in and through school teaching. In the teacher education system in England this is often the main reason for their recruitment. They work within academic departments but also within educational partnerships with schools and this provides a complex and challenging workplace setting. New Teacher Educators (NTEs) often enter higher education without doctoral level qualifications in education or other sustained experience of research and publication processes. NTEs present a wide diversity of starting points on their appointment to higher education posts and these guidelines are based on the principle that induction will need to be flexible and adaptable to suit the needs of individuals