Schools of Education

Professionalizing Teaching

As the 20th century progressed and more students were enrolled in schools (compulsory education laws were enforced), teacher training and teacher professionalism became more important. This was the beginning of teacher education programs being offered by private colleges and universities, and normal schools offering 2-year programs were beginning to offer 3- and 4-year programs, with many normal schools becoming state teachers colleges. The assumptions of teacher preparation in normal schools included teaching skills, the learning process, and child development; these assumptions greatly influenced teacher training in future teacher education programs, especially at the elementary level. State teacher colleges, however, began to offer more professional education courses and to require extensive teacher training.

There was a difference in the way elementary teachers were prepared and the way secondary teachers were prepared. Elementary teachers were expected to know subject areas as well as how to teach those subjects, while secondary teachers were expected to have a background in a specific subject area but not necessarily to have undergone teacher preparation courses. Many secondary teachers gained their knowledge through liberal arts colleges where they concentrated on one subject area. Three changes in secondary education led to further teacher training at the secondary level and more courses being offered through teacher education programs. The first change was the offering of courses at the secondary level that were vocational in design, such as home economics and agriculture. Secondary teachers were unable to take courses at a liberal arts university that would prepare them to teach vocational courses. Secondary teachers could find these courses only through teacher education programs.

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