Teacher education is continually undergoing change and this book takes a close look into the current status. It examines the history of teacher preparation, the role of the employer and the aims of education, giving a critical review of the present climate where changes in several European countries are underway. They address the question of why the changes are being made now and conclude that such changes, particularly in the UK, are ideological as opposed to quality-based.; New proposals and legislation in the European Unions countries of Britain, France, Germany and Portugal are considered, from a comparative perspective, alongside Poland and the United States; the latter also experiencing change but for different reasons.; Aimed at all readers interested in the role of education in Europe, this text should also appeal to students and lecturers in education in Europe, and to the informed general reader interested in the state of education today.