Often touted as an introduction to the profession, courses in social foundations of education are often relegated to 100-level course number designations and are viewed as less important than courses in content or pedagogy. I argue that coursework in foundations is perhaps the most paramount and critical in the preparation of novice teachers. It is in the foundations courses that teacher education candidates are taught to recognize social and political injustices that should be questioned, and to acknowledge that culture, policy, and tradition have a direct impact on teachers, learners, families, and communities as a whole.
By considering foundations coursework to be the “fluff” of preparation programs, we are perpetuating the notion that teachers are increasingly being trained as technicians rather than thinkers. Dismissing these courses as being only introductory in nature conflicts with the deep and rich purpose of such courses in preparing thoughtful, reflective, and empathetic educators. We are sending new teachers out into a world where each learner does not enter the classroom with an equal, or even equitable, experience.
Colleges, schools, and departments of education should hold these foundations courses with esteemed value, and faculty teaching other pedagogical coursework would do well to include instructional experiences and modules that address inequities and social justice in the context of public education. We do this at Mary Baldwin University, and as a result, our teacher education candidates engage in questioning, reflection, and analytic thought that will help them make appropriate instructional decisions in the classroom for the learners and situation at hand.
By Dr. Rachel Potter, Dean of the College of Education
(This post is an abridged section from this publication: Potter, R.P. (2016), Artisans, architects, and apprentices: Valuing the craft of teacher education. The Teacher Educators’ Journal, 9, 5-22.)