Redo för uppdraget?

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is advocated for in both Swedish policy documents and international UN policy. The expectations for a teacher education programme are therefore high, while previous research indicates a tension regarding how teacher education is best conducted. The purpose with the present exploratory study is to gain a deeper knowledge of how newly qualified teachers describe how they are prepared for professional teaching related to ESD. Empirical data are collected from twenty-three newly qualified teachers from six consecutive cohorts of the same short-track teacher education programme. They have all participated in a compulsory course focusing on ESD within the one-year pro­gramme. The findings from the questionnaires and interviews used in the study show that the respondents value a course with a focus on ESD when they start their professional practice, especially as they find the topic contested and not easily taught. They empha­sise the importance of the teaching practice and the opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Despite the perceived high relevance of ESD, some respondents describe some aggravating circumstances. They perceive a lack of communication between the different elements of the teacher education programme. The findings imply that the transition from being a student teacher to becoming a practicing teacher is a receptive period, and that well-developed collaborations between academia and placement schools would be beneficial for teacher professional growth related to ESD. The study’s focus on newly qualified teachers’ experiences of their initial time in the profession is relevant to discussions about conditions for ESD in the educational system. This study can hopefully contribute to the growing research field of teacher education for sustainable development.