Teacher Education and the Struggle for Social Justice

'Clear, articulate, and cogent. [Zeichner] exhibits a commitment to a vision of social justice that rightly demands the very best both from society and from those of us who work in schools, communities, and teacher education institutions' - Michael W. Apple, From the Foreword. In this selection of his work from 1991-2008, Kenneth M. Zeichner examines the relationships between various aspects of teacher education, teacher development, and their contributions to the achievement of greater justice in schooling and in the broader society. A major theme that comes up in different ways across the chapters is Zeichner's belief that the mission of teacher education programs is to prepare teachers in ways that enable them to successfully educate everyone's children. A second theme is an argument for a view of democratic deliberation in schooling, teacher education, and educational research where members of various constituent groups have genuine input into the educational process. "Teacher Education and the Struggle for Social Justice" is directed to teacher educators and to policy makers who see teacher education as a critical element in maintaining a strong public education system in a democratic society.