Philosophy for teachers in teacher education

If education is initiation through ‘conversation’ into the matters of greatest significance to humankind, the conversation to educate teachers should concern education itself, whether in pre and/or in-service professional formation programmes. For such a conversation to be ‘informed’ it should contain characteristically philosophical elements, yet these are currently down-played, even non-existent, within much current provision. After identifying reasons why philosophy should be included in teacher education from existing literature, practical examples of such provision are offered, reflecting two kinds of philosophically informed conversation which might take place between teachers and their tutors. An ‘explicit’ approach seeks to incorporate philosophical thinking overtly in teacher education with a view to stimulating critical reflection on practice through engagement with formal philosophical and structured schools of thought, including philosophies of education from great thinkers that have been built up over time. Philosophy may also be used explicitly as an established academic tool or method applied specifically to education.