Toward Developing a Campus Strategy for Preparing Teachers for the New American School.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper addresses the basic critical elements of teacher education reform and describes a rigorous university teacher education professional school and program which not only prepares future teachers in academics, pedagogy, and technology, but also prepares them to become productive participants in a changing society. The paper argues that the mission of a professional school of education must include emphasis on excellence in teaching, scholarly activities, faculty involvement with public schools, and generation and dissemination of new knowledge. Professional schools of education must form coalitions not only with the arts and sciences faculty but also with external groups, such as school districts, local businesses, community organizations, and state education agencies. Through these coalitions the school of education will be able to address such concerns as career education; inservice education; access to technology; recruitment; student selection, advisement, and evaluation; governance; alternative certification; and university responsibility to commitment of resources. The curriculum of a professional school of education must be grounded in a liberal education of which essential elements are critical inquiry, professional and content knowledge, communication, and social awareness and justice. For the field experience phases, the school of education would form a partnership with the public schools in the form of a clinical school. An appendix provides a 14-page report, "Historical Background of Teacher Education Reform (1950s-1980s)." (Contains 47 references.) (LL)