Change in teacher education: There are dragons to slay

Abstract

Teacher education programs across the country are responding to calls for reform in the professional preparation of teachers. This article presents a case study of the revision of an elementary teacher education program at a state university. Using a school‐university collaboration, the content and sequence of the program were based on a careful review of literature and the development of a consensus on the requisite characteristics and competencies of excellent elementary teachers. During the university approval process tensions and dilemmas arose related to faculty involvement, power and authority, incentives, and some “sacred cows” of the academy such as academic freedom. Lessons learned about programmatic change within the culture of the university are presented.