From student teachers to newly qualified teachers in Ghana: insights into becoming a teacher

This paper explores the perceptions of three groups of teacher education trainees in Ghana¿those beginning training, those completing training, and those with two years¿ experience in schools. A structured instrument was used to assess responses to statements about the status of teachers and teaching, teacher control, preferences for posting and different aspects of learning and teaching. Some differences were found between the responses of the groups. The direction of these differences was not always consistent with the aspirations of training curricula, suggesting other factors might be influential, and that more attention should be given to establishing what initial teacher training can and cannot achieve.