‘Paying it forward’: school partners’ perceptions of ‘authentic partnership’ for co-enacting initial teacher education

Preparing preservice teachers (PSTs) to teach is a highly contestable and contextual challenge. Partnerships between schools and tertiary providers in initial teacher education (ITE) are widely advocated to develop strong theory/practice links for PSTs, though consistent enactment has proved difficult, and perceptions of knowledge imbalances endure. ‘Authentic partnerships’ are mandated in the New Zealand context for ITE programme accreditation, but little is known about how school partners perceive them. This paper presents a New Zealand example of how school partners recognised and appreciated authenticity in one ITE partnership. The perspectives were derived from a qualitative survey conducted within an Appreciative Inquiry project and interpreted through Third Space Theory. Findings indicate multiple sub-partnerships at work within the umbrella partnership, with distinct foci and value for school partners. They highlight the relational potential of authentic partnerships for the flourishing of children, schools, communities and the teaching profession, beyond preparing teaching graduates, but also suggest intractable aspects. For ITE partnerships to thrive the perspectives of school partners must be incorporated and the third spaces created understood. The study offers a rarely articulated school partner perspective. Implications for ITE partnerships and policy that move beyond knowledge binaries are presented and discussed.