To reverse a trend in teacher education away from the foundations of education and toward a mechanistic technology, a new approach is suggested. In addition to pedagogy, the professional dimension of undergraduate preparation should emphasize "educology," i.e., knowledge and understanding of the sociological, economic, legal, and political…

A dangerously simplistic reductionistic movement, with a stress on the teacher as a technician, operating increasingly in a mechanistic way, is evolving in teacher preparation programs. This paper is constructed in light of the distorted consciousness likely to be acquired by prospective teachers as a result of this constraining movement. It has…

The paper identifies key attributes of syntopical theory as developed by Mortimer Adler, examines the status of the foundations of education, and discusses the importance of a national dialogue about foundational studies in teacher education and syntopical theory. People who work in disciplines embedded in the foundations of education lack a…

Teachers need to become active participants in the political processes that have an impact on the quality of schooling. In order to be effective agents in the public forum, teacher candidates need to acquire the knowledge and skills that are derived from a solid grounding in the foundations of education. The areas of study commonly associated with…

Design flaws in the curricula of some teacher education programs prevent prospective teachers from encountering empowering opportunities necessary to acquire alternative perspectives about planning for classroom instruction. This paper looks at ways to cope with the failure to recognize the importance of alternative perspectives by: (1) analyzing…

This paper attempts to provide: (1) a clear mental image of the concept of a professional development school (PDS); (2) a clear understanding of a number of standards to be considered as guides during the decision-making process which goes on as a PDS is designed and implemented; and (3) insights gained from dialogues with faculty members of a…