Teacher Training in Multicultural Society: Teachers as ‘involved intellectuals’ in society and the community

Author(s):

Nir MichaeliEsther Yogev

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 07 A, Research on Professional Identity, Beliefs and Understanding of Teaching and Learning in Teacher Education

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-29

15:30-17:00

Room:

NIG, HS D

Chair:

Alexander Groeschner

Contribution

Education system adapts itself to the political climate in which it is active. At the beginning of the twenty-first century the education system is influenced by a neo-liberal economical and political spirit and compels its schools to adopt free market logic and narrow achievement-oriented standards (McPhail and Kaur 2007). A recent comprehensive empirical study has verified what has existed for thousands of years, from Plato to the present day, at the core of educational philosophy and is perceived intuitively by the public: the fact that the teacher is the key to educational endeavor.(McKinsey & Company, September 2007). On the basis of those two assumptions this paper is interested in the changes in teacher training need to be taken in order to nurtur progressive spirit and democratic citizenship in novice teachers acting in neo-liberal political and economical reality. We will use Gramsci’s ‘organic intellectuals’ term as a springboard to justify teacher training that acts towards reinforcing the novice teacher’s intellectual self-image and nurturing in them a position of pedagogic activism and public responsibility. In the epistemological aspect - interpretative multiplicity and partialness of understanding, and ways for a critical reading of reality. In the ethical aspect - a culture of active caring about other people, while understanding the significance of what accepting this responsibility means. In the political aspect - awareness of social activism and commitment to public activity. The vision of training teachers as involved intellectuals is translated into two parallel tracks: expanding the novice teacher’s practical experience in the community in the formal and non-formal educational frameworks and deepening social knowledge, critical thinking and cultural infrastructure while combining non-formal pedagogic aspects with the curriculum and maintaining academic campus life. A Teacher model designed according to those aspects and implement in an academic education college is on the focus of this paper. This model is working in conflictual, multicultural and economicly gaped society and aims to train teachers acting as social reformers. This model contains three components: 1. Extend the borders of pedagogic instruction to the social and community arenas. 2. Inclusion of experiencing extracurricular social activity as an integral and binding part of the College’s training program. 3. Democratization in learning and campus life.

Method

This qualitative research examines a new teacher training model attempting to train teachers as ‘involved intellectuals’ in society and the community. The research contains: Theoretical aspect: description of social, cultural and educational contexts and the need for teacher training that nurtures a position of pedagogic activism. Construction of theoretical outline of the characteristics of the educator, while employing Gramsci's ideas as a springboard to validate teacher training which acts towards intensifying the sense of professional capability in novice teachers Applicatory aspect: presentation of the training model for involved educators and analyzing main points of the change introduced into training. This part includes intermediate findings of an evaluation study accompanying the innovations in the training program in general, and the specific projects born in it in particular. The accompanying studyis based on dozens of questionnairies and ethnographic interviews analyzed according to the grounded theory method.

Expected Outcomes

This new training model focuses the process on an attempt to empower the novice teachers with intellectual self-confidence, reinforce their sense of self-esteem in their ability to lead change and nurture pedagogic-didactic dialogical skills. • This model heightens the students’ sense of individual confidence and capability and also constituted a cornerstone for empowerment of their consciousness as people able to generate change schools. • The model increases awareness of social and political issues and of teacher role as social change agent. • The research presents a high degree of student satisfaction with this model. Students reported greater involvement in planning and action, and that this model did not allow the development of indifference or passivity towards the studied content. • The model produced significant change in the College’s life culture and increased students’ involvement in educational and social activism, even on the academic college’s campus.

References

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Author Information

Nir Michaeli

Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology & Arts

Education

Tel Aviv

Esther Yogev

Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology & Arts, Israel

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