16.Usa-Teacher Education
TEACHER EDUCATION IN U.S.A.
Historical background :
Teacher Education in U.S.A., started in the beginning of nineteenth century, developed through private Academies. Normal Schools, Colleges of Education etc. This development can be
discussed under three specific stages:
1)The Normal School Movement (1823-1860), (2) The Teacher Training (1860-1910),
(3) The Teacher Education (1910 onwards)
OBJECTIVES OF TEACHER-EDUCATION IN USA :
(1) To develop the teacher-education programme in accordance with the democratic way of life.
(2) To provide an open-environment to the pupil-teachers, so that an appropriate development of their personalities can be made.
(3) To provide the theoretical and practical awareness about the teaching-learning process.
(4) To develop the skills and competencies of teaching, methods, techniques. and teaching aids.
(5) To prepare separate teacher-education programme for distance education teachers.
(6) To develop the feelings among pupil-teachers but it should be in accordance with democratic form government.
(7) To base the teacher-education programme on the local needs.
Every university of U.S.A has its own model of teachereducation programme.
SPECIAL FEATURES
(1) No National System —There is no national system of teacher
education in America as there is lot of variety and flexibility.
(2) Equality of Opportunity — In the American system of teacher
education, there is equality of opportunity and men and women front all sections of society, high and low, rich and poor, have an easy access to institutions preparing teachers.
(3) Cooperative Enterprise —The system of teacher education is
a partnership between state agencies, local organizations, teachers training colleges, Universities and Liberal Arts Colleges.
(4) Education as Total Development —The Americans consider
Education as the total development of the physical, mental, moral, social and intellectual aspects of personality.
(5) Integrated courses of general and professional education —
The aim of these integrated courses is to provide complete or total education of teachers, both as good human being and as an efficient teacher. The duration of such courses is four or five years, which amalgamate B.A. or B.S.C. with degree or diploma in education.
(6) Pre-service and in-service teacher education are
complementary —Therefore the training of the teachers is not limited to the period spent in teacher training institutions but a continuous process which goes on throughout the professional career of teachers.
TYPES OF TEACHER TRAINING
Institutions :
Teacher Training schools or colleges in America may be divided into two categories (i) Public and (ii) Private. The Public institutions are financed and controlled by the Government while the Private institutions are run and managed by private organizations.
From the point of view of management and organization, there are following four distinct types of teacher education institutions.
(1) Normal Schools — Normal School movement gained a lot of momentums during the 19th century. These were mainly concerned for the training of elementary school teachers. the duration of the training was about one year.
(i) The review of common school subjects like languages, Geometry, Algebra, Arithmetic, Geography etc.
(ii) Mental and moral development of children, and
(iii) Principles and methods of Teaching.
(2) Teacher’s Colleges — As it had the support of the teachers, teacher educators and numerous public organizations, including that of National Educational Association the movement gained momentum.
(3) Departments of Education — Departments of Education were created as a part of bigger liberal Arts Colleges and Universities.
Schools or Colleges of Education — The establishment of university Departments of Education and liberal arts colleges started a new movement of creating autonomous The Schools and Colleges of Education became popular because of their internal autonomy, independent administration and financial management.
CURRICULUM AND COURSES OF STUDY :
In most of the institutions the duration of teacher training courses is three to five years. Every teacher training programme in America includes following three basic constituents;
(i) General Education.
(ii) Professional Education, and
(iii) Specialization in a particular field.
(I) General Education — Most of the institutions teach General Education to the prospective teachers for at least two years to help them to take a suitable place in contemporary society. The objective of this type of education is to impart cultural, social and academic background to the persons of other vocations in a complex society
(II) Professional Education — It aims at imparting professional skills and techniques to the teachers under training. It is divided into two parts: Theory and practice teaching.
(a) Theory — The theoretical aspect of pedagogy is introduced in the first or second year of the 4 - year course and is continued till the last year
(b) Practice teaching — Also known as student teaching, practice teaching is generally introduced in the later part of the professional courses, undertaken by the student teachers, either in the Laboratory School of the University Campus or in the regular Public Schools.
(III) Subject Specialization — Americans strongly feel that the mastery of the subject which the pupils teacher has to teach, is of paramount importance.
TRAINING OF HIGHER EDUCATION
TEACHERS :
Higher education faculty are expected to possess the necessary expertise and qualifications to teach and, where applicable, to conduct research and consult in the
discipline or professional field of their specialization.
Training of Pre-Primary and Primary/Basic School Teachers:
Requirements for education and certification (licensure) of early childhood (nursery, kindergarten, preschool) and elementary (primary) teachers are set by state governments which require multiple exams (subject matter, etc.) prior to entering teacher education and again following completion of teacher education but prior to certification.
Training of Secondary School Teachers : The basic precertification requirements for secondary teachers are the same as for elementary school teachers. A major difference is that secondary school teachers are certified as competent in one or more academic or vocational subjects and spend their careers concentrating on these subjects
Training of Higher Education Teachers :
Higher education faculty are expected to possess the necessary expertise and qualifications to teach and, where applicable, to conduct research and consult in the
discipline or professional field of their specialization. The general requirement is either a terminal research degree (PhD or equivalent) in the subject of specialization or, for some professional and clinical faculty, the appropriate professional qualification plus a record of successful practice and applied research.