The knowledge base for
students in all teacher education programs at Northern State University
is organized around the following categories: 1) knowledge of self as
an individual, 2) knowledge of content, 3) knowledge of the learner, 4)
knowledge of pedagogy, and 5) knowledge of self as a teacher and member
of a learning community.
Knowledge of Self
Knowledge of Self as an
Individual recognizes the teacher's influence in the lives of students
and emphasizes the importance of communicating effectively, building
trust relationships, and setting positive examples.
Knowledge of
Content
Knowledge of Content
implies a broad understanding of the centrality of content knowledge for
teaching, an ability to organize central concepts and principles of a
subject matter, and a responsibility of acquiring new knowledge.
Knowledge of the
Learner
Knowledge of the Learner
focuses on an understanding of the growth and development of learners in
the contexts in which development takes place and an understanding of
how student diversity "interacts with" the learning process.
Knowledge of
Pedagogy
Pedagogical Knowledge
includes those principles and strategies necessary for effective
teaching, including the planning, implementation, and assessment of
instruction, classroom management and organization, knowledge of
curriculum and instructional materials, and integration of technology.
Knowledge of Self as a
Teacher and Member of a Learning Community
Knowledge of Self as a
Teacher and Member of a Learning Community calls for a collaboration
among teachers, students, and their families and communities that
embraces diversity, promotes a positive sense of personal identity, and
enhances the possibilities for academic success.
The knowledge base is
portrayed symbolically by a five-pointed star. The five points of the
star represent the five categories of the knowledge base for teacher
education at Northern State University: 1) knowledge of self as an
individual, 2) knowledge of content, 3) knowledge of the learner, 4)
knowledge of pedagogy, and 5) knowledge of self as a teacher and member
of a learning community.
Although each point of the star is a separate entity, none is complete
without all of the others. So, too, must our students possess knowledge
from each of the five categories to be optimally effective teachers:
teachers who demonstrate “a powerful interpersonal spirit” (Sales,
1992); teachers who assume the responsibility for acquiring new
knowledge throughout their careers (Grossman, Wilson, & Shulman, 1989);
teachers who recognize how development and context affect learners’
responses to the learning environment (Piaget, 1969; Vygotksy, 1986);
teachers able to reason soundly about their teaching (Fenstermacher,
1986); and teachers who willingly demonstrate collegiality and
collaboration (Goodlad, 1991).
Just as
the five points of the star intersect in the center, so must theory and
practice intersect within each category of the knowledge base and be
integrated throughout the teacher education program, for it is at this
intersection of knowledge of self and the learner, content and pedagogy
that teachers can transform the content knowledge they possess into
forms that are pedagogically powerful and yet adaptive to the variations
in ability and background presented by the learners (Shulman, 1986).
This point of intersection also represents our belief that learners grow
and develop as a result of active interaction with their environments
(Piaget, 1969) and that cognitive development has its origins in
interaction among people within a culture (Vygotsky, 1986).
While the word "star"
generally represents "a conventional figure with five or more points",
it can also be an adjective meaning "of outstanding excellence" or a
verb: "to play the most prominent or important role" (Merriam-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary, 1993). It is certainly our belief that teachers
play a prominent role in today's society. Teachers influence the lives
of their students, ultimately shaping the future of humankind (Dewey,
1964).
As each of the five
points comes together to build a star, teachers, counselors,
administrators, students, and families must come together to build a
learning community. Such a collaboration "promotes a positive sense of
personal identity and thus greatly enhances the possibilities for
academic success" (McCaleb, 1994, p. xii).
And, finally, just as
each of the five points of the star points to infinity so, too, must
teachers continue to expand and challenge current knowledge bases at all
stages of their careers. This is the commitment of a lifelong learner,
for it is in "sharing the joy of learning and discovery with our
students we affirm the human capacity, inherent in all of us, to
generate knowledge and transform the world" (Ada, 1993, p. 25).
KNOWLEDGE
BASE BIBLIOGRAPHY
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