Practice Makes Practice: Learning to Teach in Teacher Education

Abstract

In this article, we argue that teaching is and should be a central element to learning to teach, particularly as teacher education once again turns toward practice. From this perspective, we must elaborate how such a shift addresses the need to bridge the gap between knowledge for teaching and knowledge from teaching, between theory and practice, and among university courses and fieldwork. If the intent of such a shift is to fundamentally change the preparation of teachers, we argue that it requires teacher education programs to do more than increase the amount of time candidates spend in clinical field placements. It requires, we argue, that teacher educators engage in simultaneous innovation in three related, but distinct aspects of program design and implementation: organizational structures and policies, content and curriculum, and teacher education pedagogy. Without such dynamic engagement, the practice-turn will go the way of many past reforms in teacher education—it will be symbolic but not significant or meaningful.

Notes

The MIT elementary and secondary programs combined prepare approximately 120 candidates through a five-quarter sequence in which candidates spend a substantial amount of time as interns in K-12 classrooms. In addition to these two programs, the University of Washington also offers two alternative routes into teaching: (a) the University Accelerated Certification Program in partnership with Teach for America and (b) the Seattle Teacher Residency Program in partnership with the Seattle Public School district. In all of these programs faculty are working toward shifting learning to teach closer to practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Morva McDonald

Morva McDonald, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Teacher Education in the College of Education at the University of Washington. Her scholarship, teaching, and research focus on teacher education and the preparation of teachers to work in hard to staff schools.

Elham Kazemi

Elham Kazemi, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Washington. Her research interests revolve around improving elementary mathematics teachers and teacher educator's classroom practices to promote student learning in high poverty settings.

Megan Kelley-Petersen

Dr. Megan Kelley-Petersen is the Associate Director for the U-ACT Program in the College of Education at the University of Washington.

Karen Mikolasy

Karen Mikolasy is a Teaching Associate in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Washington.

Jessica Thompson

Jessica Thompson, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. She is the Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on multiple grants in the area of teacher mentoring and professional development.

Sheila W. Valencia

Sheila W. Valencia, Ph.D., is Professor of Language, Literacy, & Culture at the University of Washington. Her current research interests focus on literacy instruction in poverty-impacted schools and teacher development.

Mark Windschitl

Mark Windschitl, Ph.D., is a Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Washington. His research interests focus on early career development of science teachers.