Teacher Preparation: Core Concepts

Darling-Hammond, L. & Bransford, J. (Eds.). (2005). Preparing teachers for a changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

As an opening section, the authors convey how teaching should be recognized for its levels of intricateness: a combination of knowledge, skillsets, and responsibilities/commitments. They express that for teachers to gain and support high-levels of student learning, structured, responsive preparation must be considered and constructed through conceptual and systematic means. While the authors convey that their focus is geared towards a breadth of initial teacher preparation programs, they aim to discuss what the teacher needs to learn and approaches to empowering prospective teachers for learning. Among the overarching elements, the substance, or context of teaching, should address differentiated teaching styles and effective practices that foster student learning with high achievement levels. The authors believe an organized framework that surrounds teachers, learners, and content by acknowledging the teaching practice as a profession and vessel in democracy could help teacher programs thrive in meeting expectations for teacher preparation. In addition to a framework for understanding teaching and learning, the authors utilize the Jenkins’ Tetrahedral model to illustrate the appropriateness of teaching strategies based on students’ needs and compounded evidence/research for teacher learning (human learning; influences of conditions/strategies; learning opportunities/practice; teacher learning). In relation to supplementing teacher learning, the authors refer to three domains of teacher learning: knowledge of learners (developing a mutual learning environment), concepts of curriculum (tailored to student need), and understanding of teaching (accessibility to equitable learning opportunities). The authors close by providing the objectives of their two, forthcoming sections, based on the framework for understanding teaching and learning: core concepts (learning; development; language; curriculum goals; teaching subject matter; teaching diverse learners; assessment; classroom management) and applications of teachers as learners (knowledge of teacher development/learning; curriculum/pedagogy; policy).

Chapter 2: Learning (Theories of Learning and Their Roles in Teaching)

In Chapter 2, the authors address contentions about learning to direct the advancement of educators’ practices by organizing their discussion through the exploration of the HPL (How People Learn) framework’s four components: knowledge-centeredness, learner-centeredness, community-centeredness, and assessment-centeredness. The authors refer to knowledge-centeredness through the nature of 21st-century skills and knowledge (problem solving; mental structuring; empathetic teaching (reviewing fundamental principles of content for beginning learners); and adaptive (highly flexible) expertise). Building upon knowledge, learner-centeredness is viewed through constructivism (theory of knowing) to promote the importance of utilizing students’ prior conceptions to inform teaching practices and new learning, transferring content to learners, and metacognitive practices with emphasis on memory and transfer, which is influenced by the environment for learning. Community-centeredness renders a social constructivist nature by encouraging mutual/collaborative learning to develop high cognition levels (argumentation; reasoning; and problem-solving) to influence pathways of learning. Assessment-centeredness allows for the alignment of differentiated criteria and goals to endorse the advancement of learning through formative assessment with consistent, continual feedback that facilitates the transfer of information for real-world applications. The authors characterize effective learning by teachers practicing in correspondence with all four, components of the HPL framework (encouraging high-level standards; awareness of theoretical foundations; envisioning improvement; suppleness in practices; the ability to analyze and structure their learning based on evidence; and continual development of thinking processes through reflection). As the authors emphasize the aforementioned points to be indicators of efficiency, teachers may become life-long learners to nurture student achievement.

Chapter 3: Development (Educating Teachers for Developmentally Appropriate Practice)

In Chapter 3, the authors discuss aspects of five major themes for ensuring equitable, responsive teaching practices that envelop the understanding of students’ readiness and their subsequent learning, in relation to students’ development: acquiring a developmental outlook (consider the interaction of developmental “pathways”, or domains, and their relationship for progression towards heightened achievement levels), recognizing diversity among developmental ranges (cases of “splintering”, or uneven development; supported through diagnosis and individualized provisions), coupling development with knowledge and experience (scaffolding learning through the zone of proximal development for self-regulation and participatory environments), accounting for cultural backgrounds/social contexts (regarding students’ experiences and backgrounds for goal-setting determinants), and applications for developmental proficiency (methodical data collection through observing and sampling; conducting case studies). The authors regard the knowledge of development, by teachers, as an essential device to accentuate students’ learning through seamless applications to curriculum and practices.

Reflection

Across the readings, Darling-Hammond & Bransford (2005) rendered their ideas of how teacher preparation should be encompassed: respect to philosophies and effective, ideal approaches for practice. Among the concepts of learning and development, the HPL (How People Learn) framework’s four components and the understanding and practice of recognizing how to appropriately respond to differentiation in the classroom where integral themes during my readings.

The authors prompted me to consider how I consistently practice balancing several levels of centeredness in my classroom.

I have always been inclined towards using more technological means to facilitate learning. When the authors mentioned knowledge-centeredness, I immediately referred to the patterns of communication that I use to reinforce, present, and enhance information. Oftentimes, I like to use videos and interactive lessons via Promethean presentation software. As my students and I utilize technology, the authors reminded me of how my purpose, or role, when using such applications, is to bring “mental organization”, which proposes that I must remember to understand how the amount and quality of knowledge that I have obtained has not been matched by my students. When planning lessons, I have to put myself in my students’ shoes to understand the level in which knowledge must be provided to ensure that information is clear and concise. I always desire for my students to use the available resources (technology) to attain a higher understanding and respect for the world around them.

With respect to my students, learner-centeredness illustrates how I tell my students to take control of their learning. I was thrilled to see my teachings reverberated in my readings! Every day, I remind my students of how metacognition is important by explaining to them that I can’t tell them what to think and that they have ownership of their minds. I will be sure to maintain the notion and practice of verbalizing the importance of understanding metacognition.

I have found it meaningful when students are able to socialize with peers, in accordance with Vygotsky’s social constructivism that pertains to the zone of proximal development. While I am elated that students have the capability of being in control of their own thinking, I have seen the results of students’ growth because of the support that are either explicitly or implicitly provided. How can I challenge my students to seek knowledge or utilize their learning? While ZPD is not a method for teaching, but rather within the nature of learning, how far could my students’ achievement extend based on unsolicited assistance? I believe that for my students to benefit from a stable community-centered environment, it would allow for enhanced leverage of achievement.

As far as understanding the capacity of learning that my students have attained, I can relate to the need for more formative assessment. During my first year of teaching, I had to focus on how I could keep up with the high demands of teaching, but ensuring that my students’ learning was being attended to/reinforced, periodically. I was taught about the types of assessment, but not when to implement them in a more systematic manner. Over time, I began to identify with the authors about the belief of mixed strategies to make well-informed decisions based on other types of student data (interviews and surveys). I try not to think about how irrational my decisions were to not equally and consistently take into account both recorded data from a test, quiz, or other quantitative and qualitative methods. How else can I capture the essence of my students’ abilities? Over the years, I have realized that every single word uttered, or recorded information must be taken into consideration. However, all must be coupled with feedback. I enjoy writing my students notes on their progress instead of providing numerical data. The authors shifted my focus towards building the environment with meaningful discussions with students to ensure accountability on both of our behalves.

As a primary teacher, my understanding of the developmental differences within my classroom has allowed me to agree with “splintering” to describe the challenges of working with children that have not developmentally met the necessary milestones. I have had several students that made me question their ability to keep up with the grade-level requirements. I was always left wondering which domains were deterring the students to be successful. At times, I thought I was not making the connection for them and it may have been my fault. Then, I had to realize that there is another problem that must be affecting the student’s growth. The difficulty is explained in more valid terms: splintering.

I want to improve my practices, every day as I solve problems to what once where conundrums of the future. How can I provide more equitable learning opportunities for my students? When should such responsive teaching be at its most pivotal point?

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