Teaching for America's Future: National Commissions and Vested Interests in an Almost Profession

Abstract

This article describes how the National Commission on Teaching has sought to implement its recommendations by working with partner states, districts, and stakeholder organizations that are committed to improving the quality of teaching. By creating a comprehensive agenda, democratizing the process of reform, and developing collaborative partnerships, the commission has stimulated substantial ongoing reform in policy and practice. As in the professionalization of medicine, law, and other fields, the creation of a professional accountability system for preparation and practice is a critical next step. If all teachers are to have access to knowledge and all students are to have access to well-prepared teachers, universities and schools will need to develop new partnerships and joint commitments to a democratic profession of teaching based on shared accountability for teacher education.

Students' Conceptual Knowledge and Process Skills in Civic Education: Identifying Cognitive Profiles and Classroom Correlates

“…At least three dimensions of teacher qualifications have been identified as important to students' academic achievement: teachers' preservice and in-service professional development programs, teachers' beliefs and practices, and teachers' experience (Greenwald, Hedges, & Laine, 1996;Rice, 2003). These are thought to be important factors in enhancing teachers' pedagogical content knowledge as well as their skills in managing aspects of classroom instruction in social studies, which in turn is thought to have a positive effect on students' learning (Darling-Hammond, 2000;van Hover, 2008). Torney-Purta, Richardson, and Barber (2005), after reviewing relevant literature, suggested that three characteristics of teachers were essential to effective preparation to teach social studies: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and beliefs.…”

Markets, Standards, Teaching, and Teacher Education

“…Although many of NCTAF's recommendations have been seen as controversial or have been largely ignored by many colleges, universities, and school districts, theirs and similar documents have been seen as major advances by a number of well-known advocates for uniform and higher standards. In their minds, these recommendations will lead to important gains in professionalism and respect among other things (see, e.g., Darling-Hammond, 2000;Yinger & Hendricks-Lee, 2000).…”

On Building a Unified System of Accreditation in Teacher Education

“…TEAC's initial critics (e.g., Darling-Hammond, 2000;Gideonse, 1998) took a different approach and raised a number of questions about TEAC that can stand further analysis, especially now that TEAC is a viable accreditation option nationally and in many states. 5 TEAC developed an alternative method for the practice of accrediting schools of education because the schools conform to standards that are established solely by the consensus of key leaders in the field.…”