Conceptual Framework
Knowledge Bases
Scholarship
Reflective Practice
Social Justice
Inclusive Community
Wellness
Creativity and the Arts
Knowledge Base: Scholarship
The Adelphi University School of Education values scholarship, broadly defined as a commitment to inquiry, the advancement of disciplinary and professional knowledge, and the cultivation of various dispositions related to the pursuit of knowledge, such as curiosity, intellectual honesty, and openness. Effective teachers model engaged learning and develop identities as professionals committed to intellectual rigor and epistemological curiosity (Freire, 1998). A strong liberal education is necessary for teachers to facilitate learning in the disciplines and to engage students in methods of inquiry unique to each field. Teaching and learning are enhanced when teachers are aware of connections within a single discipline as well as connections between various disciplines (Danielson, 1996; Gardner, 2000). A solid foundation of disciplinary and professional knowledge prepares teachers to assume leadership in the decision-making processes affecting their work and to resist reform movements or institutional forces that would minimize the role of teachers (Apple, 1988; Giroux, 1988).
As meaning is always mediated through some form of representation (Derrida, 1980; Langer, 1978), expression is integral to learning as well as to communication in all disciplines (Childers et al., 1994, Hillocks, 1995; Kutz et al., 1993). Education, then, should enable the learner to access the meanings that have been created through various forms of representation as well as to create meanings through varied discourse modes (Eisner, 1994). Based on these understandings, the School of Education faculty encourages expression - written, spoken, visual - across a range of media, genres, and styles. The art of teaching is enhanced by vivid and expressive communication, and the professional requirements of teaching demand advanced writing skills (Danielson, 1996).
Current technologies may stimulate multiple forms of expression, facilitate efficient methods of inquiry, and enhance collaboration among communities of learners. We encourage the use of technology to enhance professional practice and improve efficiency. We do not, however, value technology for technology's sake. In this light we encourage a critical stance towards any computer application, computer-based learning environment, or digital information source suggested for classroom use. We model this stance by having students and instructors actively engage any technology in relation to specific learning objectives (Haas, 1996; Schofield, 1995; Hawisher, G. & Selfe, C. 1999). We also believe that a critical understanding of media production and consumption in relation to youth and youth cultures is essential for teachers working within today's media saturated environments (Kellner, 1995; Kinder, 1999).
Knowledge Bases: Reflective Practice
Our curricula and collaborative environments communicate an understanding of the learning process as a fluid, complex, and creative dialogical act (Vygotsky, 1978; Goodman 1984; Gardner, 1985). Our educational philosophy then, stresses the value of learning through meaningful activity (Dewey, 1938) within a community of scholars/educators. Our definition of curriculum - derivative of the Latin currere, meaning to run the course - is reconceptualized in active terms as a journey rather than a document or list of standards (Pinar, Reynolds, Slattery & Taubman, 1995).
Reflective practice is encouraged throughout our program. Students reflect on theory and practice in relation to their own experiences though activities such as autobiographies of schooling, reflective journals, online discussion groups, and professional development portfolios. We emphasize active learning. So for example, rather than simply discussing ways to integrate art into the curriculum, we provide opportunities for our students to develop skills as writers and artists (Hillocks, 1995). Rather than "celebrating diversity," we facilitate opportunities for our students to engage diversity through meaningful fieldwork or community service in diverse local settings.
Our focus on reflective practice is directly related to our advocacy for the maintenance of teaching as a profession. In order for teachers to make sound decisions they must keep current in professional and disciplinary knowledge Effective teachers seek knowledge of their students as individual persons, how they learn and grow, including an understanding of various disabilities and diverse learning styles, They cultivate knowledge of pedagogical method, curriculum development and planning strategies, multiple ways of assessing student learning and growth, human relations, technology use in the classroom, understanding of and adaptation to cultural diversity and individual disability (Darling-Hammond, 1996; Richardson, V., 1996; Shulman, L. S., 1987). The professional educator constantly seeks new knowledge relevant to their practice and disciplines (Henderson, 1992).
Knowledge alone, however, does not assure insight. Effective professionals cultivate insight and refine practice through reflection-in-action (Danielson,1996; Schon, 1987). Professional practice seldom escapes situations of uncertainty, instability, uniqueness, often complicated by competing values and conflict. Master teachers closely observe the ways in which such complexity plays out, all the while examining unquestioned assumptions and refining theoretical constructs. Teaching from this stance requires thoughtful analysis along with deep understanding of divergent fields, including the discipline being taught, psychological or developmental issues of the individual student, as well as social contexts (Jackson, 1986; Schon, 1987; Shulman, 1987). Pinar and Grumet (1976) assert that teaching requires a synthesis of philosophy, psychology, and the imagination. Educators who cultivate the imagination and seek self-knowledge are the most likely to engage complexity and form nuanced perspectives on individual learning and interpersonal dynamics.
We believe the best teachers act as models of self-reflection and praxis (Freire, 1970; Greene, 1978; Palmer, 1998; Sloan, 1983). Reflective teachers are attuned to their students' as well as their own emotional and intellectual needs (Noddings, 1984; Palmer,1998; Silin, 1995) Mutual respect and trust among teachers and students, as Palmer (1998) suggests, is more likely in the classroom where a teacher is in touch with her own self, for she teaches who she is.
Knowledge Bases: Social Justice
We contend that education is a social act, always enmeshed within the ethical and the political. Our society is constitutionally a liberal democracy, and we possess a general cultural self-identity that identifies our society as a beacon of democracy (Dahl, 2000; Fukuyma, 1992; Gutmann, 1999). It is also commonly understood that there exists an intimate relationship between education and society, between how the next generation is educated and the future of society as well as how social forces shape the limits and possibilities of that education (Gutmann, 1999; Nussbaum, 1996). Embracing this tradition, we seek to cultivate teachers who are aware of their responsibility for the promotion of a democratic and just society (Dewey, 1916, 1927; Freire, 2001; Greene, 1978; Gutmann, 1999;). Given the phenomena of globalization and cultural diversity, our conception of justice must move beyond the local or national. In today's world educators also need a deep and wide understanding of other cultures and the nature of the emerging transnational, global society, as well as their relationship to the natural environment (Boulding, 1988; Glover, 2000; Nussbaum, 1997; Reardon, 1988).
Educators cannot attempt to understand their profession outside of historical, political and economic contexts. Professional judgment must be informed by a critical understanding of the school and society relationship (Tozer, 1993), including the ways in which hierarchies of race, class, gender, and sexuality may be reproduced in schools (Fine et al., 1996; Nussbaum, 1999; Watney, 1991).
The teacher is a living representation of humanity and the world (Buber, 1965). Socially responsible individuals care for and about others, use ethical standards to make judgments, are open to viewpoints of others, are altruistic, politically conscious, informed and involved, act with integrity, and are concerned for the community as a whole (Berman, 1997). We invite prospective teachers to foster such ideals through nurturing classroom environments that welcome and serve the needs of non-native English speakers, schools that are inclusive of special needs students, schools that honor cultural and religious diversity, and curricula that promote anti-racist and anti-homophobic pedagogies. We offer many opportunities for prospective teachers to engage important discussions related to the realities of young people. For example, physical and health educators examine social issues such as gender equity in athletics, bullying and youth violence. Literacy specialists and bilingual educators engage in discussions about the power language commands to marginalize individuals and groups. Speech therapists demonstrate the value of service learning and community work by offering needed services in areas of need.
Adelphi's School of Education embraces our role as an institution that can and should advocate for more democratic, more equitable, and more civically engaged schools and communities.
Knowledge Bases: Inclusive Community
Education is a communal act. Teaching and learning are essentially dialogical, and as such, contingent upon the quality of human connectedness (Bakhtin, 1981; Dewey, 1948). We believe that optimal human development can only take place in social arrangements that possess a diversity of interests and cultural orientations; free and extensive communication; and extensive opportunities for participation in the life of the group (Dewey, 1916, 1948; Snauwaert, 1993). Building on these understandings, we seek to create learning communities that facilitate collaboration and welcome diversity.
The best teachers understand that teaching is a community effort. All involved with a student's development - teacher, principal, counselor, librarian, speech and literacy specialist - must demonstrate a willingness to collaborate and practice respectful interpersonal communication and group problem-solving. Parents and community members should also be invited to join the project of educating and mentoring our youth (Danielson, 1996).
As we model collaboration with our own community partners, we seek to foster mutual respect and ongoing dialogue. We demonstrate our respect by developing programs that are responsive to the needs of the communities we serve. The Adelphi School of Education rejects the notion of generic teacher preparation; instead, we pursue partnership models in which we co-construct contextually sensitive programs and curricula (O'Loughlin, 2001). Extensive scholarship demonstrates the efficacy of "culturally relevant pedagogies" that value difference, build on strengths of local communities, and make schools more responsive to all students and their home cultures (Ladson-Billings, 1997, Taylor, 1994). Without a strong foundation of critical multicultural theory integrated with constructive field experiences, efforts to prepare students for diverse school settings by placing new teachers in "high needs areas" can prove counterproductive (O'Loughlin, 2001).
To model the skills and dispositions such collaborations require, the School of Education focuses on community building as one of our most important goals. We engage the community and community organizations through collaborations such as school-based literacy clinics and "Sports Leadership Institutes." We involve the School of Arts and Sciences in meaningful ways in our curricula and programs, and we collaborate with other university colleagues such as technology specialists and educational librarians to enhance our teaching and learning. In our classrooms, we model collaborative environments such as online discussion forums, interdisciplinary curriculum development teams, and clinical case study conferences (Applebee, 1996; Golub, 2000; Barnes & Todd, 1995; Hillocks & Shulman, 1999).
Knowledge Bases: Wellness
The School of Education accepts a definition of wellness that integrates the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual components of health into a meaningful whole (Greenberg, 1985). This is an inclusive approach that transcends the traditional idea that health is just an absence of illness. We endorse the promotion of holistic well-being as a core educational goal for our teacher candidates. Our curriculum includes space for prospective teachers to reflect on all aspects of their lives as teachers and life-long learners and to seek sources of personal and professional renewal.
Teachers who value wellness are aware of the complex interplay of the different dimensions of health in education. Growing numbers of children come to school with health-related problems and engage in negative health behaviors that sap their motivation to learn, endanger their mental and physical development, and threaten their future (Council of Chief State School Officers, 1998). For example, poor nutrition decreases cognitive functioning and performance in the areas of language, concentration, and attention (Wehler, Scott & Anderson, 1996). Schools that offer intensive physical activity programs see positive effects on academic achievement including increased concentration, improved mathematics, reading and writing scores, and reduced disruptive behaviors (Shepard, 1997; Sallis et al,1999). Increased connection with the school is consistently related to reductions in students' behaviors that jeopardize academic success – alcohol use, drug use, violence, and delinquency (Resnick, et al., 1997; Battistich & Horn, 1997). School connectedness depends on caring and respectful teachers. The more students feel loved, the healthier they are (Rootman & Warren, 1989). These examples clearly illustrate that there is a strong link between students' health and their ability to learn (WHO, 1996).
Our teacher candidates can promote wellness in schools and other educational and therapeutic settings by striving to become advocates of holistic well-being who educate others about the integration of the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual components of health. Educators in all disciplinary areas should integrate a holistic approach to teaching and learning. For example, literacy teachers can model strategies to engage literature that promote emotional wellness. The study of science in relation to ecology can facilitate a stronger connection to the natural world. Social studies curricula that integrate service, activism, and community building help students feel more connected and purposeful. Teachers in all disciplinary areas can help students find personal connections to the disciplines that help them understand how their work in their respective fields can either promote or denigrate quality of life. School faculties can promote healthy school environments where conflict resolution and peer mentoring groups are fully integrated and behaviors such as bullying and sexual harassment are not tolerated.
Knowledge Bases: Creativity and the Arts
In line with our advocacy for a holistic education is our belief in the value of creative expression and artistic exploration to personal and professional growth (Dewey, 1938; Gardner, 1993). Creativity and vision are inherent in our conception of the good teacher.
Committed to a philosophy that values experimentation and expression, Adelphi faculty resist educational reform movements that marginalize the role of the arts in education. We reject the notion that artistic explorations represent little more than "soft, semi-recreational, quasi-therapeutic respites in the school day" rather than "multiple forms of perceiving, feeling and knowing" (Dunn, 1995, p.34). Multiple Intelligences Theory suggests that individuals learn via a range of sensory experiences (Gardner, 1993), and cognitive theorists assert that because meaning is constructed via many representational forms, learning is enhanced when multiple modes of representation are actively explored (Eisner, 1994).
Empirical research validates theoretical models that place artistic knowing at the center of cognition rather than at the periphery. Young people actively engaged in artistic exploration tend to achieve at higher levels in academic subject competencies. They are more capable of unifying divergent thoughts and ideas within representational forms, and more likely to exercise their imaginations and experiment with ideas as they learn. They are able to envision greater sets of possibilities and probabilities when forming theories or solving problems (Burton et al., 1999). For example, student proficiency in mathematics can be correlated to involvement in instrumental music, and sustained involvement in theater arts associates with a variety of developments for youth: gains in reading proficiency, gains in self concept and motivation, and higher levels of empathy and tolerance for others (Catterall et al., 1999).
Aesthetic experience offers value beyond the enhancement of cognitive development, for the point of cognition is not simply to gain understandings of abstract principles. It is to gain the ability to "interpret from as many vantage points as possible lived experience, the ways of being in the world" (Greene, p., 120). Enjoying and creating works of art help us make sense of our own situations and predicaments and allow us to envision alternative ways of being in the world (Langer, 1995). Perhaps the most essential function of art and literature is to open us to dilemmas, to the hypothetical, to the range of possible worlds a text can simulate (Bruner, 1986). For we must first be able to imagine better worlds before we can create them.
The arts and creative explorations are integrated through many facets of our curricula. For example, early childhood educators explore the role of play for early development across a range of skills. English teachers experience the importance of narrative to identity construction as they read and write stories exploring aspects of their own subjectivities as well as of others'. Social Studies teachers make use of films and novels to bring history to life. Health educators may critique media images in conjunction with the study of body image issues and health. Mathematics educators make use of architectural drawings in the study of geometry. Speech and hearing specialists incorporate rhythm and poetry into their work with students.
