provide interventions for targeted students, or to plan and execute a guided
reading lesson.
Preparing Teachers
for a Different World
The teacher of today faces more
demands than ever before. That teacher
must have the confidence and skill to
assess and respond to a wide range of
student needs with engaging, relevant,
tightly focused lessons that not only
present content, but also teach students how to read, write, speak, listen,
collaborate, research, and integrate
technology. The teacher preparation
programs and student-teaching experiences found in many universities are
archaic vestiges that do not reflect the
world of today’s teacher and learner.
Our new teachers are telling us that
their university teacher preparation programs are not preparing them well.
K– 12 schools and universities must join
forces to re-create teacher preparation
and ensure that every classroom will
have a teacher who possesses a clear
understanding of excellent professional
practice—and can apply it from day
one. EL
References
Connecticut State Department of Education.
(2010). 2010 Common core of teaching:
Foundational skills. Hartford, CT: Author.
Retrieved from www.sde.ct.gov/sde/
lib/sde/pdf/educatorstandards/board_
approved_cct_2-3-2010.pdf
Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional
practice: A framework for teaching. Alex-
andria, VA: ASCD.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National educational technology standards for teachers. Washington,
DC: Author. Retrieved from www.iste
.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS-T_Standards
. sflb.ashx
Gary M. Chesley (chesleyg@bethel
. k12.ct.us) is the former superintendent
and Janice Jordan (jordanj@bethel
. k12.ct.us) is associate superintendent
of Bethel Public Schools, Bethel,
Connecticut.
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