Trainee Teachers’ Reflections on Approaches to Enhance their Subject Knowledge in Physics and Mathematics

Abstract

Subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) is considered an essential part of initial teacher training (ITT) for secondary school roles. The article gives an insight into trainee teachers’ different experiences and approaches they used to expand and acquire Physics and Mathematics subject knowledge, alongside other forms of knowledge. The unique feature of this article is that is written by four students in collaboration with their academic advisor. The trainee teachers joined the Physics with Maths Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) secondary course from varied backgrounds, with differing strengths. Therefore, they have enhanced their subject knowledge in different ways. Their reflections show how their subject knowledge has been synthesized from a range of previous experiences, subsequently developed in practice throughout the course, and how they develop their subject knowledge to the required level to begin their teaching careers in a confident manner.