Problematizing the taken-for-granted: talking across differences in teacher education

Abstract

[Excerpt] Teacher education, as a profession, advances when a set of “taken-for-granted” ideas that shape the field are crystallized and enacted. These ideas are communicated as truths and frame the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of effective P-12 teaching. It is important, however, we do not become too comfortable with the familiar ways of operationalizing the field, but as policymakers, practitioners, and researchers, we continue to problematize the taken-for-granted teacher education dogmas so discussions across differences (i.e., terminology, language, sensemaking, etc.) can occur. This needs to happen because “ . . . education is a conversation aimed at truth . . . The object is not agreement but communication . . . ” (Schwab, 1953, p. 9).