Teacher Preparation Programs

Abstract

The landscape of teacher preparation must address the enormous pressures that face today's teachers. In the United States currently, teachers are under intense scrutiny while addressing the changing needs of students who are both increasingly diverse and polarized with respect to their socioeconomic status. Moreover, teachers face stringent requirements for accountability under the rubric of No Child Left Behind (US Department of Education, 2007). Furthermore, teacher preparation leader Darling-Hammond suggests the call for a national policy to facilitate schools in addressing the intellectual needs of the twenty-first century (Darling-Hammond, 2007). Students need access to quality education and teachers to prepare them for their futures. Research indicates that a knowledgeable teacher is better equipped to facilitate student learning then teachers who have not been academically prepared (Olson, 2000). To address these complexities, colleges of education are attempting to adapt their traditional models of teacher education. In addition, new alternative routes to certification of teachers are being implemented throughout the nation (Bradley, 2007). These reform efforts have had varying degrees of success.