What's missing from education degree or certification programs?
by Edutopia Staff
May 23, 2008
Credit: iStockphoto
If a majority of our respondents could join in one collective act to improve teacher education, they would likely brew an enormous cosmic espresso and force the education establishment to wake up and take a deep whiff. The words real, reality, actual, and practical came up repeatedly in the answers to this question, as respondents demanded that real-world experiences inform teacher education -- not just in theory but also through the inclusion of classroom experience, technology training, and hands-on student-management opportunities in degree or certification programs.
Long-term apprenticeships, partnerships with mentors, direct experience in dealing with "concerned" parents -- essentially a curriculum that one teacher summed up as "the practical experience of all that educators have to do" -- is what our survey respondents recommend for those training to be teachers.
What do you think? Weigh in on the results.
Links:
[1] http://www.edutopia.org/edutopia-staff
[2] http://www.edutopia.org/node/5520/results
[3] http://www.edutopia.org/readers-survey-2008
[4] http://www.edutopia.org/best-blog-educators-2008
[5] http://www.edutopia.org/best-educational-podcast-2008
[6] http://www.edutopia.org/best-virtual-field-trip-2008
[7] http://www.edutopia.org/best-site-download-free-lessons-2008
[8] http://www.edutopia.org/best-site-grant-information-2008
[9] http://www.edutopia.org/best-technology-product-less-100-2008
[10] http://www.edutopia.org/best-technology-tool-students-2008
[11] http://www.edutopia.org/best-education-software-2008
[12] http://www.edutopia.org/amount-spend-classroom-supplies-2008
[13] http://www.edutopia.org/best-way-get-need-classroom-2008
[14] http://www.edutopia.org/best-public-advocate-education-role-model-2008
[15] http://www.edutopia.org/best-new-book-education-2008
[16] http://www.edutopia.org/top-concern-parents-2008
[17] http://www.edutopia.org/top-concern-teachers-2008
[18] http://www.edutopia.org/who-teach-class-day-2008
[19] http://www.edutopia.org/subject-should-be-taught-2008
[20] http://www.edutopia.org/new-teachers-burning-out-2008
[21] http://www.edutopia.org/best-way-find-inspiration-2008
[22] http://www.edutopia.org/best-way-create-educational-community-2008