- Connections between best
practice in general education and deaf education.
The elementary program is
specifically designed to prepare deaf candidates to receive
full certification in regular or general education,
including a full-time internship with hearing children with
the aid of a sign language interpreter. The pedagogical
techniques acquired by candidates in this experience then
serve them in the application to their later work with deaf
children, including the raising of expectation for deaf
children (Martin & Lytle, 2000).
- Connecting local, national
and global perspectives.
Candidates interact with a
variety of peers, including peers from several different
countries, thus sensitizing each other to the uniqueness of
different world cultures. In addition, candidates have
opportunities to regularly examine local and national
educational issues in such courses as Introduction to
Education, Curriculum, and Methods, where the discussion of
current events in education is a regular activity (Easterly,
1994).
- Connections to tradition and
innovation
The elementary program is
grounded in the traditional tripartite components of teacher
education (foundation courses, pedagogical courses and
practicum experiences): at the same time, within the courses
the practica are embedded a variety of highly up-to-date
practices, such as the application of computer technology to
instruction, the use of student self-directed learning, and
the active involvement of the local community as part of
instruction. Together these components provide a firm basis
for candidate preparation (What Matters Most, 1996;
Slaughter, 1985).
- Connecting theories and
practice.
The program provides
experiences for candidates in both theory and practice.
Theoretical experiences are found in the educational
psychological preparation, the foundations course in trends
in American education, and the required course in child
development. On the other hand, practical experiences are
found in the classroom observation experiences, the
teacher-assisting experience, and the full-time student
teaching experience. The pedagogical courses (Methods)
provide a bridge between theory and practice in that many
opportunities are found for application of theory to the
design of instructional plans in each of the subject areas
of the curriculum (reading, language arts, mathematics,
social studies, science, and children’s literature)(Godlad,
1991).
- Connecting curriculum to
continuous learning through reflection and inquiry
Candidates are expected to
maintain a regular daily reflective journal in both the
teacher-assisting and student-teaching experiences; in this
connection, candidates are expected not only to describe
events of the classroom day, but also to comment on them in
terms of both how the candidate sees herself or himself
growing as a teacher and how the candidate has learned
specific "lessons" from the experiences which can
be applied on the following days. These reflections are
expected to refer back to the curriculum of the teacher
preparation program. In addition, inquiry plays an important
role in both the conduct of the pedagogical courses around
the discussion format as well as in their formulation of
questioning sequences during practicum experiences. The
importance of continuous learning as a professional is
emphasized throughout the seminar, which parallels the
student-teaching experience- A good teacher never stops
learning (Bain, Ballantyne, Packer, & Mills, 1999;
Black, Sileo, & Prater, ; Collier, 1999; Pultorak, 1993,
1996).
References
Bain, J. D., Ballantyne, R.
Packer, J., & Mills, C. (1999). Using journal writing to
enhance student teacher’s reflectivity during field
experience placements. Teacher’s and Teaching: Theory
and Practice, 5, (1), 51-73.
Black, R. S., Sileo, T. W.,
& Prater, M. A. ( ). Learning journals, self-reflection,
and university students’ changing perceptions.
Collier, S. T., (1999).
Characteristics of reflective thought during the student
teaching experience. Journal of Teacher Education, 50, (3),
173.
Easterly, J. L. (1994). Promoting
global teacher education: Seven reports. ERIC No.
ED368704, U.S.: Virginia.
Goodlad, J. I. (1991). Why we
need a complete redesign of teacher education. Educational
Leadership, 49, (3), 4-6, 8-10.
Martin, D. S., & Lytle,
R. R. (2000). Deaf teacher candidates in hearing classrooms:
A unique teacher preparation program. American Annals of
the Deaf, 145, (1), 15-21.
National Commission on
Teaching & America’s Future. (1996). What matters
most: Teaching for America’s future. (Clearinghouse
No. SP036935). New York.
Pultorak, E. G. (1993).
Facilitating reflective thought in novice teachers. Journal
of Teacher Education, 44, (4), 288.
Pultorak, E. G. (1996).
Following the developmental process of reflection in novice
teachers: Three years of investigation, Journal of
Teacher Education, 47, (4), 283.
Slaughter, J. B. (1985). Innovation
and tradition in higher education. ERIC No. ED282463,
Chicago: IL.
