Christou, Theodore

DeLuca, Christopher

English

Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (JCACS)

	  Journal  of  the  Canadian  Association  for  Curriculum  Studies       Volume  13  Number  1  2015  The   Curriculum   Theorizing   of   Teacher  Education              THEODORE  CHRISTOU  CHRISTOPHER  DELUCA  Queen’s  University    It  is  now  widely  agreed  that  teachers  are  among  the  most,  if  not  the   most,   significant   factors   in   children’s   learning   and   the  linchpins   in   educational   reforms   of   all   kinds.   Despite   the  growing   consensus   that   teachers   matter,   however,   there   are  many   debates   about   why   and   how   they   matter   or   how   they  should  be  recruited,  prepared,  and  retained  in  teaching.  ––Cochran-­‐‑Smith  &  Zeichner,  2009,  p.  1    In  this  Special  Issue  of  JCACS,  curriculum  scholars  and  teacher  educators  elucidate  the  intersections  between  curricular  theories  and  the  practice  of  educating   teachers.   In   our   Call   for   Papers,   we   asserted   that   few  collections   have   explicitly   examined   this   intersection.      While   previous  studies   have   used   curricular   frameworks   to   make   sense   of   teacher  Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies 	  2	  learning   within   preparatory   programs,   through   this   issue,   JCACS  provides  a  site  for  the  explicit  use  of  curriculum  thinking  and  modes  of  inquiry   to   conceptualize,   analyze,   or   provoke   teacher   education  programs  and  their  learning  experiences.  As  both  curriculum  scholars  and  teacher  educators  ourselves,  we  feel  particularly  passionate  about  this  issue.  We  see,  on  a  daily  basis,  the  way  curriculum   theories   come   to   life   within   our   classrooms,   and   in   the  classrooms   of   our   teacher   candidates   as   we   observe   them   in   public  schools.  We  see  the  aiding  value  of  curriculum  theory  in  designing  and  delivering   effective   courses   of   study   for   our   candidates,   and   more  importantly,   the  explanatory  power  of   these   theories  as  we  make  sense  of   the   immense   learning––shifts   in   thinking  and  practice––that  occur   in  relatively   short   programmatic   periods.   Perhaps   it   is   this   ephemeral  quality   of   teacher   education   which   makes   it   such   an   important   and  interesting  site  for  the  application  and  expression  of  curriculum  theory.  Within   a   short   period,   the   aim   of   teacher   education   is   to   transform  teacher   candidates   from   students   of   subject   disciplines   into   students   of  education  into  professional  educators  with  the  capacity  to  animate  their  subject  teachings  through  deep  knowledge  of  pedagogy,  curriculum,  and  students.  From  a  curricular  stance,  teacher  education  programs  present  a  tall   order.   We   assert   that   students   must   experience   curriculum   theory  whilst  theorizing  about  curriculum.  In  their  final  year  before  entering  the  teaching   profession,   which   is   for   some   their   final   year   of   formal  schooling,   it   is   even  more   critical   that   the   experiences  we   cultivate   for  our   candidates   are   theoretically   rooted   and   conceptually   rigorous.      As  The  Curriculum  Theorizing  of  Teacher  Education  CHRISTOU  &  DELUCA  	   3	  Pinar   (2012)   notes,   the   bringing   of   a   curriculum   theory   perspective   to  teacher   education   involves   “the   professionalization   of   intellectual  freedom,  forefronting  teachers’  and  students’  individuality,  that  is  to  say  their  originality,  their  creativity,  protecting  their  opportunities  to  dissent,  engaged   in   ongoing   if   complicated   conversations   informed   by   a   self-­‐‑reflexive,   interdisciplinary   erudition”   (p.   183).   Teacher   education   is   an  intellectual   experience,   yet   always   connected   to   a   practice   of   self   as  learner,  self  as  teacher,  and  self  as  professional.    To   inspire   teacher   education   in   this   way   brings   forward   new  possibilities   of   experience   that   hold   promise   for   teacher   education   as   a  site   of   deep   curricular   learning   and   the   preparation   of   thoughtful  teaching   professionals.   The   articles   in   this   Special   Issue   of   JCACS  provide  evidence  that  this  can  be  done  within  the  constraints  of  existing  pre-­‐‑service   teacher   education   programs.   They   are   strong   examples   of  curriculum  theory  at  work  to  shape  the  learning  of  our  future  teachers.           Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies 	  4	  References  Cochran-­‐‑Smith,  M.,  &  Zeichner,  K.  M.  (Eds.)  (2009).  Studying  teacher  education:  The  report  of  the  AERA  panel  on  research  and  teacher  education.  Washington,  DC:  American  Educational  Research  Association.  Pinar,  W.  F.  (2012).  What  is  curriculum  theory?  (2nd  ed.).  New  York,  NY:  Routledge.  

The Curriculum Theorizing of Teacher Education

https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/download/40254/36045

The Curriculum Theorizing of Teacher Education

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Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (JCACS)