International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
A Way of Not Seeing: Reflections on Paradigms in Teacher Education
Andrew Effrat a *
ª Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Abstract
Teacher education has increasingly been blamed for the shortcomings of the educational system in the United
States. This paper suggests that the dominant paradigm in teaching and teacher education which rests primarily
on psychological foundations may be a factor underlying some of the problems. This more individualistic and
psychological paradigm is reflected in conceptions of the learner, approaches to assessment, the structure of
rewards, classroom management, accreditation guidelines, etc. Since a way of seeing is also a way of not seeing,
it is suggested that a paradigm resting on a more sociological perspective may offer useful complementary
strategies that would enable teachers to be more adept at treating schools and classrooms as learning
communities with all the facets and group dynamics of any social system. In effect, this paper suggests that
teachers may benefit from being prepared as applied sociologists as much as they are as applied psychologists.
Keywords.
SECTION I - INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
The theme of this conference, teacher education, concerns a matter of central significance in our educational
systems. Teacher education plays a crucial role in recruiting, screening and preparing the next generation of
teachers and is central to building the capacity of educational systems to address the needs of its students and
families. Regrettably, I am cautiously pessimistic about the current prospects of teacher education. For one
thing, teacher education seems to have lost credibility in the larger policy community and to have become an
easy target to blame for so many problems such as for teacher dropouts, for the poor performance of teachers,
for the poor performance of students, for not closing the achievement gap, for the decline in public support for
schools, and so on, to the point that many in the U.S. question whether there is really a need for formal or
extensive teacher education and certification.
Indeed, there are various movements in the U.S. that are experiencing growing popularity, such as charter
schools and Teach for America, that can be seen as challenges to the future of teacher certification and
education, especially as it is currently linked to universities. Perhaps it is more important than ever for those of
us who believe in the need for truly qualified teachers and high quality teacher education to reflect on how we
might improve and be seen to improve what we are doing in teacher education.
It has been suggested that a way of seeing is also a way of not seeing. This presentation is not intended to
present original research; it is not intended to present proofs or conclusions; it is not meant as a critique or
attack. Instead, it is intended as a reflection concerning some aspects and data concerning teachers and teacher
education. It is intended rather as an invitation to look at things in a different light, to offer another way of
seeing.
SECTION II - TEACHER DROPOUTS IN THE U.S.: RATES AND REASONS
In the U.S., in the first 3-5 years of teaching, a large percentage of new teachers leave teaching. Some studies
suggest that as high as 50% of new teachers quit the profession in their first 5 years. Similar results have been
reported for comparable professions such as social work and nursing. However, I do not think that this
decreases the significance of this phenomenon concerning teachers. In fact, I suspect that there are similar
underlying reasons for the high attrition rates of newer entries in these professions.
No doubt, some would suggest that this is part of the natural sorting and selection process in a free market
and that it should not be a matter of serious concern. However, the extent of teacher dropouts strikes me as
disturbingly high and worth trying to understand better. What might it be indicative of?
E-mail address: andrew.effrat@simmons.edu
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