Potential Risks of School-Based-Only Teacher Training

A number of problems associated to making school-based teacher training the norm can be foreseen. First and foremost, practical considerations linked to schools and the way they are organised may be an eye opener as whether the latter would work or not. Many schools already face staffing difficulties and most teachers carry huge workloads. Having them as the only persons responsible to train new teachers would do nothing but add pressure on schools.
As a trainee teacher myself once, I experienced the above at a personal level. School mentors are, first and foremost their own students' teachers and they often have limited time. University lecturers are therefore in better positions to support the trainees on various issues. Moreover, without any theoretical input by universities, it is probable that the trainees would need even more assistance and support than they currently do, making it even harder for both schools and the trainees.
Let's now think about the natural cause and effect relationship of things and their potential consequences. Having school teachers as the sole mentors of trainee teachers will undoubtedly weigh them down as seen. Moreover, without any theoretical input from universities, the trainees are bound to be ill-equipped to use teaching strategies and methods adequately. They may also potentially face problems tackling various other classroom or whole school issues. Consequently, standards are bound to drop, affecting students directly and the community as a whole, indirectly.
Gove's proposal undermines the teaching profession. It moreover, constitute a threat to teaching standards and may need a great deal of adjustment in order to seem workable and attract any support amongst education professionals.
Sources
Richard Vaughan. "Gove Serves Notice on Teacher Training." Times Educational Supplement, November 19, 2010, accessed November 22, 2010.
Meabh Ritchie. "Theory be Damned. Just follow the 'How to' guide." Times Educational Supplement, November 19, 2010, accessed November 22, 2010.