Underpinning many of the ongoing debates over the means and ends of teacher education are serious differences about the purposes of education in general and about the relationship between schooling and a democratic society in particular. At stake in these debates is the nature of what counts as "democracy," a word with multiple political meanings.…

Every generation has its moment, some turning point that will mark its place in the historical record. Such points provide the direction of our history and our future. Turning points are, characteristically, times of turmoil based on a fundamental change in models or events--what Thomas Kuhn called a "paradigm shift." In terms of a democratic…

Talking about important events, experiences, and ideas is a crucial societal concern for many reasons. In the field of teacher education, dialogue may be even more difficult because it is sometimes seen as being both essential and troubling. Dialogue is complicated because some people are fearful of open inquiry; others are inclined to rant; and…

In this article, the author discusses five major priorities that should guide teacher education in preparing teachers for their work in a democratic society. These priorities are of equal importance in preparing teachers to enter schools and do the work necessary to sustain a democratic society. They require purposeful planning and enactment of…

Drawing on Tyler and Schwab (both of whom were influenced by Dewey), Clandinin and Connelly (1992) built a case for the image of teacher as curriculum maker--the idea that teachers instantiate curriculum alongside their students--as opposed to the dominant image of teacher as curriculum implementer where the teacher works as an agent of the state…

A concern for social justice in teacher education raises questions about the ways that schooling has failed to serve many students from diverse backgrounds. Who gets how much schooling is still an important issue. Equally vital is the kind of education that children and youth receive--and who decides. A focus on social and historical context…

Studying democracy, and doing so critically, while striving to live it presents a peculiar and special charge to public education. As John Goodlad suggested, for teacher educators and in-service educators, this charge brings with it a responsibility to stand as stewards of public education and, hence, the most noble traditions of democracy in…

Theorizing about teacher education and democracy is a challenging task in the year 2009. According to this author, the antidemocratic forces of the social efficiency movement have intensified with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, and recent activities of the Obama Department of Education have ratcheted up social efficiency's premise…

One of the major priorities that should guide teacher education programs in preparing teachers for their work in a democratic society is to develop a commitment to knowledge that embraces complexity and to place this knowledge into competition with the mainstream vision, which results from a deep reliance on standardized testing and controls much…