Description:
The authors allow students and faculty to speak in their own voices to tell the story of how teachers are prepared for their important roles as educators of the nation's children. This book provides in-depth, personal descriptions of how elementary teachers are prepared in six diverse schools and colleges of education, ranging from the program in a small liberal arts college to those embedded in major research-oriented universities. The richly woven descriptions (gained through intensive observations and interviews) provide a balanced picture of the situation and context of teacher education today. Howey and Zimpher conclude the descriptions with an insightful cross-institutional analysis of the problems and issues uncovered and suggest a provocative set of characteristics that appear to contribute to an effective program of teacher education.
Review Quotes:
"The authors have drawn upon extensive interviews and observations to provide detailed case studies of teacher education programs from the multiple perspectives of teacher education faculty, students, cooperating teachers, and university administrators. The six institutions vary in many ways, and their approaches to teacher education reflect that diversity. Each of the case studies is valuable in itself: the set of studies, combined with an analysis by 'themes', makes it even more useful. Such extensive studies are seldom done and badly needed." -- Mary Kluender, Teachers College, University of Nebraska-Lincoln