A New Generation of Teachers

Abstract

This chapter describes a contemporary profile of teacher candidates. While some education majors enter the program with requisite knowledge, intellectual curiosity, a willingness to push themselves, and the ability to accept critique in order to learn how to become a teaching professional, many of their peers enter professional coursework lacking critical thinking and other skills needed for the profession. The author provides a rationale for why professional dispositions and linguistic knowledge are critical for education majors, especially Pre-K-8 teachers—those grade levels where language learning is critical for subsequent school success. In doing so, this chapter suggests how teacher preparation curricula and pedagogies might be reconsidered.