|
The Mission of Knox
College and the Department of Educational
Studies The preparation of professional
educators has a logical and rightful place within the context of the
history and mission of Knox College.
Founded in 1837 by Reverend George Washington Gale, Knox College
strives to be a "community of individuals from diverse backgrounds
challenging each other to explore, understand, and improve ourselves,
our society and our world" (Knox College Catalogue, p. 3). Knox College’s history reveals how
its graduates have attempted to accomplish these goals. Its founder,
Rev. Gale, was charged with sheltering fugitive slaves; the first president,
Hiram Huntington Kellog, supported women's rights; Abraham Lincoln,
who was awarded his first honorary degree by Knox College, debated the
issue of slavery with Stephen Douglas at the entrance to Old Main; Barnabus
Root was the first black student to graduate from a college in Illinois;
and Hiram Revels, the first African-American elected to the Senate,
attended Knox College. In 1993, the Knox College
faculty identified the ways in which this mission permeates all aspects
of student life at Knox, The mission is carried out through: 1.
our
curriculum: combining inquiry in traditional as well as newer disciplines
with the integrative perspective of interdisciplinary work; building
from basic skills of writing, reading, calculating, and critical analysis
to opportunities for sophisticated student research and creative expression.
2. the character of our learning
environment: encouraging the critical exchange of ideas, challenging
our students with high expectations and persistent demands for rigorous
thinking with a supportive and egalitarian learning environment, characterized
by an informality and openness that mirrors our Midwest surroundings.
3. our residential campus
culture: encouraging the personal, cultural and intellectual growth
of our students in a reflective, tolerant, and engaged campus community,
through supportive residential opportunities, cultural programming,
and opportunities for intercollegiate and recreational sports.
4. our community: reaffirming
and extending our ongoing commitment to a diverse community of students,
faculty, and staff with each new hiring and admission. Our
aims throughout are to foster a lifelong love of learning and sense
of competence, confidence, and proportion that will enable us to live
with purpose and to contribute to the well being of others. (Knox College
Catalogue, p. 3) As a liberal arts college
with a commitment to interdisciplinary work, Knox College is an excellent
environment for teacher candidates. The mission of both the College
and the Department of Educational Studies are part of the same fabric. The faculty of the Department of Educational
Studies believe that following the tradition of Knox graduates to improve
themselves, society and the world is the responsibility of all Knox
graduates, especially those entering the teaching profession. As a result, the teacher candidates who
graduate from Knox understand that the aims of the College "to
foster a lifelong love of learning and sense of competence, confidence,
and proportion that will enable us to live with purpose and to contribute
to the well being of others" apply not only to themselves but also
to the students that they will be teaching. The Education Program at
Knox College is an integrated program sequenced over two or three years
of study. Success in the
program requires a commitment to the profession of teaching, to the
education of all children, to personal, professional, and societal critique,
and to the development of an appropriate knowledge base, as outlined
in the Department of Educational Studies Teaching Standards. The program
has three foundational components: democratic values, knowledge, and
praxis. Based upon the mission of Knox College, the knowledge of the
profession, and the Illinois State Teaching Standards, these foundational
components serve as organizational tools for the commitments that all
faculty and staff in the Department of Educational Studies have made
and to which all teacher candidates in the program are held. These components can be found in the course
syllabi and in the program description. Central to each of the foundational components are the goals
to improve societal and school conditions and promote quality in the
educational and life experiences for all through high educational standards.
People in the Educational
Studies Program are committed to: Democratic Foundations
1. the development of learning communities
and environments that embrace diversity and promote social justice; 2. an understanding of the historical, ethical,
political and social issues associated with education; Knowledge
Foundations
3. the study of the nature of knowledge,
pedagogical practices, and methods of assessment and evaluation; 4. the recognition of the breadth and depth
of knowledge, which integrates the study of education with the other
disciplines; Praxis
Foundations
5. the integration of theory and practice
that is developed, supported, and maintained by reflection; and 6. the preparation of teacher candidates
to meet state and national standards, develop the habits of mind that
encourage professional growth, and create leaders in educational communities.
Democratic Foundations
According to John Goodlad (1990), a prominent scholar in teacher
education and author of Teachers for Our Nation's Schools, "the school is the only institution in
our nation specifically charged with enculturating the young into a
political democracy. The education of teachers must, therefore, be specifically
directed toward this end"(p. 48).
Entering the 21st century, teachers and teacher educators
must address the fact that societal and school conditions "in the
United States have been consistently, systematically, and disproportionately
unequal and unfair, and the major casualties have been those students
who differ significantly in social class, gender, race, and ethnicity
from what is considered the 'mainstream'"(Nieto, 1999, p. 20).
With the student population
in the United States becoming more racially, culturally, and linguistically
diverse and in spite of improvements on some measures of achievement,
the discrepancy in school performance between European American students
and students of color continues to be substantial. Given demographic
projections that the teaching force will continue to be mostly white
while the student population becomes increasingly more diverse, teacher
education must place issues of diversity "front and center"(Nieto,
2000) in order to prepare all teachers, including teacher educators,
to act as agents of change. To act as agents of change,
we need to be aware of the historical, political, social and economic
context of society because it is only by knowing the world that teachers
can effect educational and societal change.
Freire (1970) claims the historical, political, social, and economic
issues that contribute to the society and school are intimately connected
to social justice and equity.
Freire believes that humans interact with others and their environment
and are capable of being aware of their position and affect their world
even while in the midst of interacting. They make choices, reflect on
them, evaluate them, and make new choices. Humans have a consciousness
of what is, what has been, and what can be.
Freire explains (1994), "inheriting acquired experience,
creating and recreating, integrating themselves into their context,
discerning, transcending, men [humans] enter into the domain which is
theirs exclusively—that of History and of Culture"(p. 4).
Therefore, to be human is to be conscious of human history and culture
and to knowingly create and transform human reality. The Education Program at
Knox College embraces the issues identified by Goodlad, Nieto, and Freire
through its sequencing of courses and experiences provided to teacher
candidates. We are committed to the development of learning
communities and environments that embrace diversity and promote social
justice. Throughout the program,
candidates are given opportunities to develop an understanding of the
role of communities in education and to develop and maintain collaborative
relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and the community
to support the learning and well-being of all students regardless of
race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, home language, country of
origin, sexual orientation or academic, physical or emotional need (ISBE
Teaching Standard #9). An understanding of diversity within communities
and its relationship to teaching and learning underpins the Educational
Studies Program and is explicitly apparent in all courses. When addressing diversity,
we draw from Banks (1995, 1997) and envision multicultural education
as a guide for teachers to employ to ensure that all students experience
educational equity regardless of the groups (e.g., racial, cultural,
linguistic, religious groups) to which they belong. Consequently, in
the Educational Studies Program, multicultural education is not addressed
in a single course. Instead
multicultural realities, ideals, and goals are integrated throughout
the program. We also agree with Enid
Lee (1995) that critical multicultural education is about “equipping
students, parents, and teachers with the tools needed to combat racism
and ethnic discrimination, and to find ways to build a society that
includes all people on an equal footing” (p. 9). Equipped with
an understanding of critical multicultural education, Educational Studies
faculty and teacher candidates commit themselves to the struggle for
human rights and acknowledge their position of power to effect change.
These agendas are made explicit throughout the program through the readings
and extracurricular activities we support. We teach candidates that
teachers and students deal with issues of power and domination in the
society in the content of study and that they must strive to change
the injustice they discover (Shor & Freire, 1987).
We in the Educational Studies Program support initiatives to
raise standards and hold all students accountable to high performance
standards while remaining sensitive to issues of equity.
Elements of our program related to our commitment to social justice
include readings, classroom activities, and experiential learning experiences
that challenge teacher candidates to confront underlying beliefs that
set up barriers for students, take a non-elitist attitude toward learners,
value multiple perspectives, teach students through what they know,
view knowledge as dynamic and influenced by experiences and position
in society, hold high expectations for all students, and understand
that individuals have the ability to effect change in their lives and
society. (ISBE Teaching Standard #10) Throughout the program,
faculty and candidates explore inequity related to race, ethnicity,
gender, language, socio-economic status, and handicapping conditions;
stress the acquisition of traditional skills necessary to effect change
society; and act equitably. The
content and materials used in classes connect individuals to society.
Technology has expanded the ways in which we can connect individuals
to society. The use of technology in education has
created a greater need for developing a critical awareness of the issues
of equity and social justice.
As a result, the use of technology is seen as an issue fundamental
to teaching in the 21st century and is part of our Democratic
Foundations as well as the Knowledge and Praxis Foundations.
We are committed to understanding the historical,
ethical, political and social issues associated with education.
We agree with Freire that individuals need to develop critical
consciousness, conscientizaçao.
Freire defines conscientizaçao as “learning to perceive
social, political, and economic contradictions, and to take action against
the oppressive elements of reality” (Freire, 1970/1992, p. 19). Using critical investigation and asking
questions about power and authority in the historical, social, political,
and economic contexts are strategies that can assist teachers and students
in developing a connectedness to the world and to understand external
forces affecting their daily lives. Throughout the program, faculty
and candidates are equipped to make a plan of action, to confront injustice,
and change society for the betterment of humankind (Freire). Before taking the 300 level
courses in the program, candidates must complete four 200 level foundation
courses in which they are introduced to broad questions about the purpose
of school, the nature of knowledge, and the role of the teacher in relation
to students and society. Candidates explore the forces that influence
the ways in which we are taught and the ways in which we teach. Examples
of broad foundational questions fundamental to the program found on
course syllabi include “How is history constructed then taught
in schools?” “Whose history is taught and why?” “What
knowledge should be taught and why?” “How does the way we
think about gender influence how we learn?” “Is education
oppressive or a path to free thinking?” “Should education
foster a homogenous or pluralistic society?” “What is knowledge?”
“What is education?” “What is learning?” “What
is teaching?” “How do assumptions about how people learn
impact what goes on in schools?” “How do motivation, culture,
language, and social development influence learning?” “How
do teachers educate students with special needs in the general education
classroom?” Foundational issues are
not forgotten as students continue in 300 level course work. Questions
addressed in EDUC 310, Perspectives on Curriculum, include “How
does curriculum affect students’ intended and unintended learning?”
“How are teaching and learning and curriculum interconnected?”
“How can curriculum be used to facilitate educational and societal
change?” “What is the role of culture and cultural knowledge
in education and learning?” These foundational issues
are then addressed prior to program completion when candidates submit
portfolios at the end of their student teaching experience. The first
two criteria established for the portfolio reflect the critical multicultural
focus: candidates must demonstrate (1) understanding and respect for multicultural,
multiethnic nature of American society in your work with students, parents,
and peers; and (2) sensitivity to cultural,
racial, social, class, and gender differences and the ways in which
they affect teaching and learning. (Student Teaching Handbook, 1999-2000
Edition, p. 22)
At the completion of the program, candidates need to have demonstrated
the following as evidence of the Democratic Foundations:
• Expresses
democratic values in teaching and learning practices and policies
• Completes
collaborative work
• Maintains
respect during interactions with peers, parents, cooperating teachers,
faculty, and staff
• Creates
a learning community in which individual differences are respected
• Develops
lessons/units with community goals
• Identifies
and uses community resources that foster learning
• Talks
with and listens to others, investigates situations, and seeks outside
help as needed and appropriate to remedy problems
• Responds
to factors in the students’ environments outside of school (e.g.,
family circumstances, community characteristics, health and economic
conditions) that may influence students' lives and learning
• Considers
multiple perspectives and interpretations
• Is self-regulating
and self-directed and thinks critically
• Willingly
receives and gives feedback
• Engages
in teaching and learning as an on-going, reflective process
• Uses
professional research and resources (e.g., colleagues, professional
literature) in learning, planing, and teaching
• Participates
in professional activities
• Respects
the privacy of students and confidentiality of information
• Acts
as an advocate for students • Abides
by state laws and professional codes of conduct
• Strives
for academic excellence
• Talks
to and listens respectfully to others. Knowledge
Foundations
As teacher
educators, we believe that each learner actively seeks to make sense
of the world and of new information (Brooks & Brooks, 1993; Dagher & D’Ambrosio,
1996; Doyle, 1990; Talbert Jackson, 1993; Twomey Fosnot, 1993). This being
the case, effective teaching requires a thorough understanding of the
way in which individuals grow and develop (Bruner 1973; Erikson 1963,
1968, 1980; Vygotsky, 1978), an appreciation for the differences among
learners (Corno & Snow, 1986; Torrence E. P., 1986) and a commitment
to instruction that reaches and empowers a diverse population of students
(Banks, 1997; Freire, 1970; Nieto, 2000). (ISBE Teaching Standard #2) Successful
teaching also demands knowledge of the content areas to be taught. Teachers need to be familiar with the
concepts, approaches to inquiry, and structure of the various disciplines (Shulman, 1987). Equally important, they need to create
learning experiences that make this content accessible and meaningful
to all students. (ISBE Teaching Standard #1) Effective teachers
also understand that students learn better when they are motivated to
do so. Therefore, excellence
in teaching requires an understanding of individual and group motivation
and behavior (Wittrock, 1986).
It also requires a learning environment that promotes positive
intellectual and social interaction, active engagement in learning,
and self-motivation (Doyle, 1986; Schmuck & Schmuck, 1997). (ISBE
Teaching Standard #5) In order to
achieve the goal of preparing excellent teachers, the Department of Educational Studies is
committed to providing teaching candidates with the content knowledge
base they need. The Department is also committed to giving teaching
candidates a thorough grounding in pedagogy, motivation, and development. Finally, the Department is committed to teaching from a multicultural
perspective, so that teaching candidates will be able to take the lead
in ensuring education for all students. We are committed to a breadth and
depth of knowledge that integrates the study of education with the other
disciplines across the College. Given that each learner makes sense
of new information in individual ways, it is important that learners
be able to consider problems and ideas from multiple perspectives. Students learn to view the world using
different perspectives when their teachers expose them to different
points of view and the tools that the various disciplines use to solve
problems. Before our future teachers can present
a variety of points of view and ways of thinking, they must first be
familiar with different disciplines.
They must also learn to consider problems from many perspectives. In other words, we need teachers “who
are not narrowly focused on pieces of school curriculum or approaches
to teaching or ways of knowing” (Griffin, 1999, p. 9). The Department
of Educational Studies at Knox College meets the challenge of preparing
teachers to think across disciplines in the following ways. First, because Knox College is a liberal
arts institution, teacher candidates are exposed to an environment that
promotes, “the fruitful experience of an energetic collaboration
across intellectual boundaries.” (Knox College Catalog, p.8) A cross-disciplinary perspective is essential
for understanding our world and the place of education in it, “Selves,
communities, cultures and public practices defined as grounded in their
multiple relations and histories cannot, by definition, be studied or
comprehended in isolation from their overlapping contexts and their
roots in times and places” (Minnich, 1995, p. 30). The importance of this cross-disciplinary perspective goes
beyond the ability to comprehend new knowledge. It is also essential to the understanding that “no one
tradition’s universalized view of truth, beauty, goodness should
be imposed on the diverse experiences, heritages, communities, values
and commitments of humankind in ways that refuse them serious consideration.”
(Minnich, 1995, p.9) The ability
to think and teach across disciplines requires “extensive participation
in forms of learning that foster sustained exploration of and deliberation
about contested issues important in particular communities of inquiry
and practice.” (Minnich, 1995, p. 25)
The liberal arts tradition as it is implemented at Knox College
provides teacher candidates opportunities to develop this ability. Teacher candidates take courses in many
different disciplines, and courses in the Department of Educational
Studies are cross-listed with other disciplines.
This encourages teacher candidates to take courses with faculty
and students from other major courses of study, thus promoting active
inquiry across disciplines. Finally, courses
in the Department of Educational Studies are designed to expose teacher
candidates to many different ways of thinking about teaching and about
content. Candidates thus
learn to consider teaching and pedagogy from a wide variety of points
of view. They also learn to use the tools they
acquire in other courses to consider issues in education. In short, Knox College's liberal arts
environment, combined with the multifaceted nature of courses within
the Department of Educational Studies prepares Knox teacher candidates
for the task of empowering their students to be active learners, critical
thinkers, and problem solvers. We are committed to the study of
the nature of knowledge, pedagogical practices, and methods of assessment
and evaluation. Teaching candidates
must be prepared to help students acquire the intellectual and social
tools they need to make sense of new material. It is therefore essential that teaching candidates understand
how knowledge is acquired, how learning occurs, and what factors influence
this process. For instance,
since all knowledge is socially constructed (Vygotsky, 1978), teacher
candidates must be aware of the effects on students’ learning
of such factors as family, community, culture, and the social dynamics
in the classroom. However,
it is not enough to be aware of these effects; teacher candidates must
use this awareness to create opportunities for positive social interaction
and continuous learning in various social contexts. (ISBE Teaching Standard
#4) The importance
of the social nature of learning cannot be overstated. Learning is not
the process of absorbing a static set of facts and relationships. Rather, “learning emerges from the
social, cultural and political spaces in which it takes place, and through
the interactions and relationships that occur among learners and teachers.”
(Nieto, 1999, p. 2) Teaching candidates must understand the social and
cultural realities their students’ experiences, and use this knowledge
to create a classroom environment that empowers all students to acquire
and use new information. (ISBE
Teaching Standard #3) Technology
plays an important role in this process in that it provides students
greater opportunities to gather information, often from sources normally
unavailable to many. However,
we believe that technology must be more than a place to locate information.
We believe that technology creates yet another location and experience
for students to pose questions and learn through social interaction
(Harris, 1997, 1998). Learning takes
place in different ways and through different modalities depending upon
the learner’s level of development (Bruner, 1973). Therefore,
teaching candidates must be aware of the ways in which students at different
developmental stages acquire and represent new information (Erikson,
1963, 1968, 1980). They must also use this awareness to create opportunities
for students at all developmental levels to acquire and use new knowledge. Learners vary
not only by developmental level, but also by the type of intellectual
reasoning at which they excel (Gardner, 1993). In order to engage each student as much as possible, it is
therefore necessary to understand the kinds of intelligence students
possess, and to design learning experiences in which students can use
these intelligences to make sense of new information. (ISBE Teaching
Standard #6) Given the variation among
individuals in terms of culture, intellectual developmental level, types
of intelligences, and ways of knowing, it follows that effective assessment
of that learning is complex. Evaluating learning requires knowledge
of alternative assessment techniques such as portfolio evaluation and
the ability to use a wide variety of assessment tools (Lyons, 1998). Through the Educational Studies Program, teacher candidates
study, experience, and implement a variety of traditional and alternative
assessment measures in their courses, supporting our beliefs that learning
needs to be tied tightly to experience. (ISBE Teaching Standard #8)
At the completion of the
program, candidates need to have demonstrated the following as evidence
of the Knowledge Foundations: • Engages
in generating knowledge and testing hypotheses according to methods
of inquiry and standards of evidence used in the discipline/s
• Uses
major concepts, assumptions, and debates central to his/her discipline/s
• Relates
his/her disciplinary knowledge to other subject areas and sees connections
to everyday life
• Displays
enthusiasm for his/her discipline/s
• Effectively
uses multiple representations and explanations of concepts
• Identifies
and considers ranges of cognitive, social, moral, physical, and emotional
development and individual variation during planning, instruction, and
interactions
• Applies
motivational theory to teaching and learning Implements
appropriate approaches with peers, students, parents, and colleagues
• Develops
activities, assignments, and classroom management policies appropriate
to grade level and learning needs • Identifies
and designs instruction appropriate to learning styles, strengths, and
needs
• Uses
teaching approaches that are sensitive to the multiple experiences of
learners
• Makes
appropriate provisions for individual students who have particular learning
differences or needs
• Works
productively and cooperatively with others in complex social settings • Uses
a range of effective management strategies to promote positive relationships,
cooperation, and purposeful learning in the classroom
• Engages
others in individual and cooperative learning activities that help develop
motivation to achieve
• Organizes,
allocates, and manages resources of time, space, activities, and attention
to provide active and equitable engagement of students in productive
tasks
• Helps the group
to develop shared values and expectations for interactions, academic
discussions, and individual and group responsibility that create a positive
classroom climate of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry. Praxis
Foundations The
final foundational piece to the Educational Studies program is praxis. Praxis, as we define it, is more than
a set of teaching practices and experiences. Praxis is the weaving together of the democratic and knowledge
foundations, resulting in teaching that meets the needs of all students.
It is the nexus, the center of the educational process, for both
teachers and students. "Theory and practice work in concert,
are mutually informing, and together constitute a dialectial praxis"
(McLaren & Tadeu da Silva, 1993, p. 54) Praxis is the reflexive, dynamic interaction
of personal and professional theories and classroom experiences (Bullough,
Goodson, & Gitlin, 1994). We are
committed to the integration of theory and practice, which is developed,
supported and maintained through reflection. In
Democracy and Education (1916), Dewey wrote, "the self is
not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through
choice of actio"” (p. 351).
Agreeing with Dewey, we believe that teachers are not "ready-made"
but are formed through their "choice of action." To understand teachers’ actions is to understand their
knowledge of teaching because the act of teaching is the embodiment
of our understanding of theory. "What we mean by teachers' knowledge
is that body of convictions and meanings, conscious or unconscious,
that have arisen from experience (intimate, social, and traditional)
and that are expressed in a person's practices." "When we see practice, we see personal practical knowledge
at work" (Clandinin and Connelly, 1995, p. 7). In the Educational Studies Program, we focus
both on what teacher candidates know, the Democratic and Knowledge Foundations,
and on the ways in which they enact their understanding of these foundations.
As a result, we believe that teacher candidates' experiences
in school from their earliest fieldwork observations to their final
student teaching assignments must be more than a continuation of their
"apprenticeship of observation" (Goodman, 1985; Guyton &
McIntyre, 1990; Lortie, 1975 ). We have based our fieldwork on the research
that has shown courses and practica must be carefully aligned and provide
opportunities for reflection in order to have the most positive impact
on teacher candidates (Feiman-Nemser and Buchmann,1985).
Through the courses in
the Educational Studies Program, teacher candidates are given the opportunity
to work in a variety of educational contexts involving observation,
one-on-one teaching or tutoring and small group or whole class instruction
with students from a variety of age groups and backgrounds (Zeichner,
1992). These experiences are aligned with the
goals of the courses, and teacher candidates are given opportunities
to discuss and examine their experiences because the
key element in the value of early field experience is structured activities
(Bonar, 1985). These structured activities, identified
by Cochran-Smith & Lytle (1993) as "journals, oral inquiries,
classroom/school studies, and essays," form the basis for action
research and promote "reflection-on-actio"”
as a means to develop "reflection-in-action" (Schon, 1983;
Greene, 1986). Carefully-articulated,
meaningful, guided, sequenced field-experiences gradually induct students
into the profession ready to work for change in their students’
best interests and ready to continue their own development. Bonar writes,
"Field experiences that operate without planned curriculum emanating
from sound theory provide little hope that future teachers will act
differently on the job than the teachers whose classrooms they visit"
(Bonar, 1985, p. 44). In addition to field experiences, teacher candidates are provided
opportunities for peer teaching so that they may experiment with methods
and receive constructive criticism. Peer teaching provides opportunities for faculty and peers
to model reflection-on-action (Arends, 1998) and to see the "teacher
candidates personal, practical knowledge" become practice. We are
committed to the preparation of teacher candidates to meet state and
national standards, develop the habits of mind that encourage professional
growth, and create leaders in educational communities.
For approximately fourteen years prior to admission to our program,
teacher candidates have experienced education as students. In our program, we introduce teacher candidates to the profession
of teaching and begin the very difficult process of changing their view
of classrooms from the familiar perspective of students to the unfamiliar
perspective of teachers. Because
our work takes place in the early years of the teachers candidates’
professional development, we understand the importance of instilling
in them the habits of mind as well as the skills and knowledge to become
leaders in their educational communities.
Central to the habits of mind which we develop in teacher candidates
is that "teaching is a lifelong process" (Arends, 1998, p.
12). Similarly, McNiff (1995)writes "Teaching
and learning are two sides of the same coin; they are two perspectives
of the same process" (p. 59). By viewing themselves as life long learners, teacher candidates
are better able to assist their students to become "independent
and self-regulated learners" (Arends, 1998, p.12) and to improve
schools. We develop this
habit of mind by encouraging critical reflection and focusing on the
critical questions addressed by Democratic and Knowledge Foundations
which stress the importance of knowing what we teach, how we teach and
why we teach.
Berliner (1982) began the discussion of the ways in which teachers
are leaders within classroom and schools.
What his work revealed is that teachers provide many of the same
functions we attribute to those in leadership roles: we plan, motivate,
assess, realign, delegate authority, and manage resources.
The work of Cochran-Smith and Lytle, McNiff, Clandinin and Connelly,
and Dewey enhance that vision of teacher as leader by describing the
ways in which teachers create knowledge and implement change both in
their own classrooms and within the schools in which they work.
Through our courses, teacher candidates are introduced to the
structures of schools and the professional knowledge base with the intent
that through their own work they will contribute to the improvement
of both. Action research and mentoring programs
are ways in which teacher candidates may experience contributing to
the professionalization of teaching.
(ISBE Teaching Standard #11)
This work is strengthened, once again, by the focus on the Democratic
and Knowledge Foundations throughout their coursework.
We are, also, committed to developing teacher candidates who
meet state and national standards.
The creation of state and local standards is part of the professionalization
of teaching. Because we are committed to graduating
teacher candidates who will not only be successful teachers but also
leaders in their educational communities, it is essential that they
grasp the importance of the standards movement and work toward ways
to both become professionals and contribute to the profession of teaching.
At the completion of the
program, candidates need to have demonstrated the following as evidence
of the Knowledge Foundations:
• Represents
and uses differing viewpoints, theories, "ways of knowing,"
and methods of inquiry •
Uses contextual
considerations in planning instruction that effectively bridges curricular
goals and students' experiences
• Enhances learning
through the use of a wide variety of materials as well as human and
technological resources •
Varies role
in instructional process (e.g., instructor, facilitator, coach, audience
• Provides all
students with equitable access to learning opportunities •
Uses language
for fostering self-expression, identity development, and learning •
Models sensitivity
to gender and cultural differences
• Asks questions
and stimulates discussion in different ways for particular purposes
(e.g., probing, problem-solving, risk-taking, curiosity, factual recall,
convergent and divergent thinking) •
Develops and
uses curricula that encourages students to see, question, and interpret
ideas from diverse perspectives •Uses a variety
of media and communication tools, including audio-visual aids and computers •Models appropriate
verbal and nonverbal communication strategies in speaking, writing,
and other media
•Selects and
creates learning experiences that are appropriate for curricular goals,
relevant to learners, and based upon principles of effective instruction
•Creates policies,
lessons, and activities that operate at multiple levels to meet the
developmental and individual needs of diverse learners and help each
progress
• Uses ongoing
assessment in the instructional process to identify strengths and promote
student growth •Uses
a variety of formal and informal assessment techniques to evaluate individual
and group progress and performances and modifies teaching and learning
strategies •Uses assessment
strategies to involve learners in self-assessment activities in order
to become aware of strengths and needs and to encourage individuals
to set personal goals for learning.
•Evaluates the
effect of class activities on both individuals and the class as a whole,
collecting information through observation of classroom interactions,
questioning, and analysis of student work
• Maintains useful
records of work and performance and communicates progress knowledgeably
and responsibly
•Uses classroom observation, information about students, and research
as sources of evaluating the outcomes of teaching and learning and as
a basis for experimenting with, reflecting on, and revising practice. Candidate, Faculty, and Program Assessment
Assessment issues are addressed
at many levels of the Teacher Certification Program both within and
outside the Department of Educational Studies at Knox College. Teacher candidates are assessed; teaching
faculty are assessed; and the program is assessed. Teacher
Candidate Assessment
Within the Knox College
community, the responsibility for assessing Knox College candidates
for teacher certification is primarily the responsibility of the teaching
faculty in the Department of Educational Studies.
However, K-12 teachers and Knox College faculty outside the Department
of Educational Studies also assess the candidates. Finally, the candidates for certification are assessed by the
State of Illinois through the test of BASIC Skills and the content area
skills tests. Within the department,
we assess the candidates’ acquisition of the Illinois Teaching
Standards for Teacher Certification and the knowledge acquired from
their coursework. We have
created a matrix that aligns key components of our program with the
Illinois Teaching Standards. At
the end of each Educational Studies course, the matrix is used as a
guide for assessing candidates’ development of qualities and character
consistent with the Teaching Standards.
This assessment is in addition
to the traditional grading which takes place during courses through
papers, presentations, and examinations. Candidates’ content knowledge
and general education knowledge is assessed by review of the Educational
Record (transcript) of study at Knox College, through the Illinois State
Content Specific Exam/s, and by the K-12 cooperating teachers during
their student teaching experience. Knox College has a strong academic
tradition, which means passing grades in courses generally reflect successful
acquisition of specific knowledge. When teacher candidates
complete fieldwork assignments associated with course work for Educational
Studies, the supervisors at the field sites complete evaluations for
work. This happens during three out of the four
200 level foundation courses and during all the 300 level courses on
curriculum and methods. In addition to the assessment
associated with course work, teacher candidates make formal application
to the Educational Studies Program prior to taking 300 level education
courses. These applications
include written artifacts, evidence of passing the BASIC Skills test,
and review of courses taken and GPA. They are evaluated by Educational Studies faculty. Students are then notified if they have
been accepted into the program without conditions, or if they have been
provisionally accepted to the program, pending remediation. If they are accepted provisionally, they
are required to meet with their advisors to form plans for remediation.
They are not allowed to student teach until they have made sufficient
progress to meet the Department requirements. Teacher candidates must
also formally apply for student teaching.
The student teaching applications are completed during their
methods courses and are reviewed by Educational Studies faculty, K-12
school districts, and Knox College faculty outside of the Department
of Educational Studies who serve on the Teacher Education Committee.
The candidates are once again notified if there are areas that
must be remediated prior to student teaching. During their student teaching
experience, candidates are observed by their K-12 cooperating teacher,
a Knox College supervising teacher, and one Knox College faculty member
outside the department of education.
In addition, at the end of EDUC 340, students complete a portfolio
in which they must demonstrate their competency in all areas specified
in the program requirements. Faculty
Assessment
All non-tenured faculty
members are evaluated by students at the end of each course. Tenured faculty members are evaluated
by students at least once a year.
Faculty members in tenure-line positions are held to the same
standards as all other tenure-line faculty members at Knox College. Educational Studies faculty members are
obligated to publish current research in order to ensure national or
international level peer review.
In addition, Educational Studies faculty members are evaluated
according to a rigorous tenure process of peer review. Program
Assessment
The
Teacher Certification Program at Knox College is regularly assessed
informally and formally within the Department of Educational Studies
and outside the department. Educational
Studies faculty holds weekly planned department meetings to discuss
the program, and five times a year; we have advisory meetings with the
Teacher Advisory Committee. This
committee was setup specifically to monitor the teacher certification
program and the level of preparation of our candidates from the perspective
of current K-12 teachers in the local area schools.
Changes to the major in terms of the development and revision
of new courses are reviewed by the College-wide faculty lead Curriculum
Committee. From the candidate, faculty
and program assessment, we have implemented changes in course requirements
and content to better prepare the candidates. References Apple, M. W., & Beane, J. A. (1995). Democratic
schools.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Arends, R. (1998) Learning to teach. New York: McGraw Hill. Banks, J. (1997). Educating citizens in a multicultural
society. New York: Teachers College Press. Banks, J. A. (1995). Multicultural education and
curriculum transformation. Journal of Negro Education, 64(4), 390-400. Banks, J. (1995). Multicultural education and curriculum
transformation. Journal of Negro Education, 64(4), 390-400. Berliner, D. (1982). Instructional variables. In
D. E. Orlosky (Ed.) Introduction to education. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill. Bonar, B. (1985). Needed: Structured activities in early field experience
programs. Action in Teacher Education, 7 ,43-47. Brooks, J., & Brooks, M. (1993). In search
of understanding: The case for the constructivist classroom. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. Bruner, J. (1973). The relevance of education.
New York: Norton. Bullough, R; Goodson, I.; & Gitlin, A. (1994) Becoming a
student of teaching: Methodologies for exploring self and practice.
New York: Garland. Clandinin, D.J. & Connelly, M. (1995). Teachers'professional
knowledge landscapes. New York: Teachers College Press. Cochran-Smith, M. and Lytle, S.L. (1993).
Inside Outside: Teacher research and knowledge. New York: Teachers
College Press. Crono, L. & Snow, R. (1986). Adapting
teaching to individual differences among learners. In M. Wittrock (Ed.)
Handbook of research on teaching.
New York: Macmillan Publishing company. (Pp.605-629) Dagher, Z., & D’Ambrosio,
B. (1996). History, philosophy, and sociology of science and mathematics.
In F. B. Murray (Ed.), The teacher educator’s handbook: Building
a knowledge base for the preparation of teachers (pp. 245-260). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Dewey, J. (1944) Democracy and education, Macmillan Publishing
company: New York. Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. New York: Macmillan. Doyle, W. (1986). Classroom organization
and management. (pp. 392-431) In M. Wittrock (Ed.) Handbook of research on
teaching.
New York: Macmillan Publishing company. Pp.605-629) Doyle, W. (1990). Themes
in teacher education research. In W. R. Houston (Ed.), Handbook of
research on teacher education: A project of the Association of Teacher
Educators (pp. 3-24). New York: Macmillan, Inc. Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood
and society, 2nd Ed. New
York: Norton. Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity, youth and crisis. New York: Norton. Erikson, E. H. (1980). Identity and the life cycle, 2nd
Ed. New York: Norton. Feiman-Nemser, S., and Buchmann, M. (1985) Pitfalls
of experience in teacher preparation. Teachers College Record, 87, 53-65. Freire, P. (1970/1992). Pedagogy of the Oppressed
(M. B. Ramos, Trans.). New York: The Continuum Publishing Company. Freire, P. (1994). Pedagogy of hope: Reliving pedagogy of the oppressed (R. R. Barr, Trans.).
New York: Continuum. Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences:
The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books. Goodlad, J. I. (1990). Teachers for our nation's
schools.
San Francisco, Jossey Bass.
Goodman, J. (1985). What students learn from early field experiences:
A case study and critical analysis. Journal of Teacher Education, 36, 42-48. Greene,
M. (1986). Reflection and passion in teaching. Journal of Curriculum
and Supervision, 2,
68-81. Griffin,
G. (1999). Changes in teacher education: Looking to the future. In G.
Griffin (Ed.) The education of teachers: Ninety-eighth yearbook of
the national society for the study of education.
Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press (1-17). Guyton, E. & McIntyre, D.J. (1990). Student
teaching and school experience.
In Houston, W. R. (Ed.) Handbook of research on teacher education.
New York: Macmillan Publishing
Co. Harris, J. (1998) Virtual architecture: Designing
and directing curriculum-based telecomputing. International Society for
Technology in Education.
Harris, J. (1998) Design tools for the internet-supported
classroom. Association
for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Knox College Catalog (2000-2001). Office of
Public Relations, Office of the Dean of the College, & Office of
the Registrar. Galesburg, IL. Kozol, J. (1992). Savage inequalities: Children in America's schools. New York: Harper Perennial. Lee, E. (1995). Taking
multicultural, anti-racist education seriously: An interview with
Enid Lee. In D. Levine & R. Lowe & B. Peterson & R. Tenorio
(Eds.), Rethinking schools:
An agenda for change
(pp. 9-16). New York: New Press. Lortie, D. (1977). Schoolteacher: A sociological
study. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Lyons, N. (1998) With portfolio in hand: Validating the new teacher professionalism.
New York: Teachers
College Press. McLaren, Peter & Tadeu da Silva, Tomaz (1993).
Decentering pedagogy: Critical literacy, resistance and the politics
of memory.” In McLaren, Peter & Leonard, Peter (Eds.) Paulo
Freire: A critical encounter.
New York: Routledge McNiff, J. (1993). Teaching as learning: An
action research approach. London: Routledge. Minnich, E. (1995). Liberal learning and the arts of connection for the new
academy. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. Nieto, S. (2000). Placing equity front and center:
Some thoughts on transforming teacher education for a new century. Journal
of Teacher Education, 51(3), 180-187.
Nieto, S. (1999). The light in their eyes: Creating multicultural learning communities. New York: Teachers College Press. Schmuck, R.A. and Schmuck, P. (1997).
Group processes in the classroom (7th Ed.) Dubuque,
Iowa: Brown & Benchmark). Schön,
D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in
action. NY: Basic Books. Shor,
I., & Freire, P. (1987). Liberatory pedagogy for liberation:
Dialogues on transforming education. New York: Bergin & Garvey Shulman,
L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations for the new reform.
Harvard Educational Review, 57,
1-22. Student
Teaching Handbook
(1999-2000). Department of Educational Studies, Knox College, Galesburg,
IL. Talbert Jackson, Barbara
(1993). Forward. In J. Brooks & M. Brooks, In search of understanding:
The case for the constructivist classroom (pp. v-vi). Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. Torrance, E.P. (1986). Teaching creative
and gifted learners. In M. Wittrock (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching. New York: Macmillan Publishing
company. (630-648) Twomey Fosnot , Catherine
(1993). Preface. In J. Brooks & M. Brooks, In search of understanding:
The case for the constructivist classroom (pp. vii-viii). Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society. In M. Cole &
V. John-Steiner & S. Scribner & E. Souberman (Eds.), Mind
in society: The development of higher psychologial processes (pp. 19-119). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Weinstein, R. S. (1996).
High standards in a tracked system of schooling: For which students
and with what educational supports? Educational Researcher, 25(8), 16-18. Wittrock, M. (1986) Students’
thought processes. (297-327) In M. Wittrock (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching. New York: Macmillan Publishing
company, 605-629 Zeichner, K. (1992). Rethinking the
practicum in the professional development school partnership. Journal of Teacher Education, 43, 296-307. Additional
References Not Cited in Text
teach.
New York: State University of New York Press.
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (1992).
Teacher as curriculum maker. In P. W. Jackson (Ed.), The Handbook
of Research on Curriculum: a project of the American Educational Research
Association
(pp. 363-401). New York: Macmillan. Clandinin, D.J., Davies, A., Hogan, P., & Kennard,
B. (Eds.) (1993) Learning to teach, Teaching to learn. New York: Teachers College
Press. Cummins, J. (1994). From coercive
to collaborative relations of power in the teaching
of literacy. In B. M. Ferdman, R.-M. Weber, & A. G. Ramirez (Eds.),
Literacy across languages and cultures (pp. 295-331). Albany: State University of New
York Press. Gage, N. L. & Berliner,
D. C. (1998) Educational Psychology, 6th Edition. New York: Houghton.
Giroux, H. (1993) Border Crossings: Cultural workers and the
politics of education. New York: Routledge.
Griffin, G. (Ed.) The education of teachers: Ninety-eighth
yearbook of the national society for the study of education. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press (18-62).
Hargeaves, A. & Fullan, M. Understanding teacher development. New York: Teachers College
Press.
Houston, W. R. (1990). Handbook on research on teacher education. New York: Macmillan Publishing
company.
Howard, G. R. (1999). We can't teach what we don't know: White
teachers, multiracial schools.
New York: Teachers College Press Kozol, J. (1992). Savage inequalities: Children
in America's schools. New York: Harper Perennial. McLaren, P. & Leonard, P. (1993). Paulo
Freire: A critical encounter. New York: Routledge. McLaren, P. (1998). Life
in schools: An introduction to critical pedagogy in the foundations
of education. (3rd
Ed.) New York: Longman. Nieto, S. (2000). Affirming
diversity: The sociopolitical context for multicultural education. (3rd Ed.) New
York: Longman. Noddings, N. (1984). Caring:
A feminine approach to ethics and moral education. Berkeley, CA: University
of California.. Shor, I. (1980/1987). Critical teaching &
everyday life.
Chicago: Chicago University Press. Shor, I. (1992). Empowering Education: Critical
teaching for social change. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Sleeter, C. E. (1995). Reflections on my use of
multicultural and critical pedagogy when students are White. In C. E.
Sleeter (Ed.), Multicultural education, critical pedagogy, and the
politics of difference
(pp. 415-434). Albany: State University of New York Press. SooHoo, S. (1995). Emerging student and teacher
voices: A syncopated rhythm in public education. In B. Kanpol &
P. McLaren (Eds.), Critical multiculturalism: Uncommon voices in
a common struggle (pp. 217-234). Westport,
CT: Bergin & Garvey. Urban, W., & Wagoner Jr., J. (1996). American
education: A history.
New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Weis, L. and Fine, M. Eds.
(1993) Beyond Silenced Voices. New York: State University of New York Press. |
