’Girlies on the Warpath’: addressing gender in initial teacher education

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Abstract
Gender issues in education are not simply a woman's problem. They constitute a more general problem of theorising about the nature and processes of education. Where studies advocate the eradication of inequality via education it is most often teachers who are seen as the crucial agents of change. Despite this recognition, surprisingly little attention has been paid to preparing teachers for taking on such a task. This paper considers, firstly, how and why teacher education in England and Wales largely fails to provide a framework or ethos conducive to the inclusion of a gender perspective. Secondly the paper examines some of the ways feminists are responding, arguing that despite institutional and informal resistance, good anti‐sexist work in teacher education is happening and should not be overlooked.