This paper provides an introduction to the series of papers. The content of the papers is summarised and contextualised in this introduction.

This unit will focus upon various aspects of training that you will be involved with working alongside Citizenship beginning teachers in school. All mentors fulfil a fundamental motivational and counselling role and also play a key role in developing trainees' classroom management skills. The emphasis here, however, will be on mentoring to improve Citizenship teaching and learning - and specifically upon :

1. Developing Citizenship Subject Knowledge;
2. Developing Citizenship Teaching and Learning strategies;
3. 'Using ICT effectively' in Citizenship and;
4. Tailoring Citizenship training programmes to the specific individual needs of beginning teachers

This paper will address the role that you play in organising and managing the trainees’ school-based training and enable them to enjoy both a rich and comprehensive learning experience that will help them to meet the ‘Qualifying to Teach Standards’. Moreover, Citizenship NQTs and RQTs often face the considerable challenge of being the only qualified teacher of their subject in their school with responsibilities to lead developments within the department, across the school linking to the local community. To help mentors meet this unique challenge in teacher training the following management issues are explored in this paper: • Timetabling - to ensure the breadth and depth of trainee experiences - to address Citizenship across the curriculum • Transition Issues • Practical arrangements for observation and feedback - including working with other colleagues.

This paper includes :

• A brief outline of the context in which Citizenship is being assessed in secondary schools;
• Ten reasons why beginning teachers of Citizenship find it a particular challenge to provide evidence of meeting the QTT Standards in relation to assessment
• An overview of how Citizenship and assessment are approached within the college-based component of a training course
• An exploration of Citizenship and assessment in a school-based context and thinking through strategies to improve both practice and training in this area (this is the most substantial section)

UPDATED final version.

This paper will address the role the Citizenship subject mentor plays in assessing the professional development of trainee teachers in relation to the standards for QTS (see appendix 1 for Professional Standards for Qualified Teacher Status 02/02). In the majority of cases this role will be undertaken in partnership with an HEI training provider, although some mentors may be engaged in trainee assessment through an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) consortium or School-Centred ITT provider (SCITT). The aim of this paper is to provide a basis for dialogue between ITT partners on the difficult issue of assessing trainee teachers of Citizenship. Unlike other areas of the curriculum, Citizenship is an emerging subject that takes place within and beyond the classroom, is taught as a stand alone subject and as a cross-curricular dimension and is often poorly understood by those not directly involved in its development. The unique positioning of Citizenship Education in schools has highlighted new challenges for ITT providers in the management of the trainees’ experience (see CitizED Mentor Briefing Paper – The Management Role of the Citizenship Mentor) and also in the assessment of trainees against the standards for QTS. To help mentors meet this challenge this paper explores the following issues: • Recruitment and selection of Citizenship trainee teachers and the assessment of subject knowledge • Assessing trainees in the classroom and their wider school experience • Cross-curricular approaches – is it Citizenship?