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ERIC Number: EJ1138819
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 18
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Artisans, Architects, and Apprentices: Valuing the Craft of Teacher Education
Boyd Potter, Rachel
Teacher Educators' Journal, v9 p5-22 Spr 2016
In this article, Boyd Potter describes teacher education faculty as both artisans and architects. As artisans, it is not only their products that enrich us; it is the art of the craft itself that shapes their work. An artisan is valued for the creative endeavor, and not solely the masterpiece. Preparing a quality teacher is not easy work, while some candidates come to the programs with a disposition that sets them apart as "naturals," there is a distinctly important role for teacher preparation for these students, and also for those who are just beginning to get their feet wet with the idea of wanting to be a teacher. Effective teachers are best prepared with a focus on inquiry-based methodology in a collaborative context. Potter states that what works in teacher education is not new, earth-shattering strategies or reform; it is the necessity of viewing the field as more than a technical preparation program, and advocating that others do the same. Teacher educators must hold value to the work that they do in the classroom, through fieldwork, in mentoring or advising, and in collaborating with colleagues. They are artisans, modeling and teaching their craft to their apprentices. They are architects, refining their plans as they go and implementing the sound science of teaching and learning while building and elevating the profession.
Association of Teacher Educators in Virginia. Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 22601. e-mail: ehthomps@ehc.edu; Web site: http://ateva.org/?page_id=450
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Virginia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A