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Volume 2, Number 2 (2007) Developing Dispositions: Professional Ethic or Political Indoctrination?

PROLOGUE

Editor: On March 30, 2006 and May 12, 2007, Gary Howard facilitated several workshops at Western Washington University, based on his book, We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know. His workshops provided the impetus for reexamining the concept of dispositions in teacher education (view video of the workshops from Mar. 30, 2006 and May 12, 2005). We are dedicating this issue to Gary Howard, who has written a special prologue for this issue.

Editorial

Prologue

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Dispositions for Good Teaching
Gary R. Howard
Vol. 2, Iss. 2

Introductory Essays

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Antecedents of Disposition Testing: Lessons from the History of the Good Teacher
Jennifer de Forest
Vol. 2, Iss. 2


Theme: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

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Teachers’ Ethics: Education International and the Forging of Professional Unity
Athena Vongalis-Macrow
Vol. 2, Iss. 2


Theme: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Articles in Response to Controversy

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Advocacy and Teaching
Stanley Fish
Vol. 2, Iss. 2

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Lessons from the Periphery: The Role of Dispositions in Montessori Teacher Training
Keith Whitescarver and Jacqueline Cossentino
Vol. 2, Iss. 2

Special Sections

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An Analysis of NCATE's Decision to Drop "Social Justice"
Bonnie Johnson and Dale D. Johnson
Vol. 2, Iss. 2


Theme: THE POLITICS OF "SOCIAL JUSTICE"

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Setting the Record Straight
Arthur E. Wise
Vol. 2, Iss. 2


Theme: THE POLITICS OF “SOCIAL JUSTICE”

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Dark Times Indeed: NCATE, Social Justice, and the Marginalization of Multicultural Foundations
Dan W. Butin
Vol. 2, Iss. 2


Theme: THE POLITICS OF "SOCIAL JUSTICE"

About the Authors

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About the Authors

Vol. 2, Iss. 2

Controversy Addressed in this Issue:

Because teachers hold a very special trust in working with the young, public licensure and assessment have become part of the screening process in certifying new teachers for their roles. What makes up the qualities of a professional teacher and what should be legitimately assessed? Recently, schools of education and various accreditation bodies have begun to go beyond knowledge and teaching competences, and have begun to assess candidates for proper dispositions. In some colleges, conservative students have complained that these evaluations have discriminated against them for their beliefs and constitute a form of ideological indoctrination, amounting to a political litmus test. Conversely, educators of teachers argue that adherence to a professional code of ethics is expected of teachers as with all professionals. Furthermore, they argue that they have a responsibility to both their graduates and to the public to assure that prospective teachers will act in an ethical way in the classroom and are sensitive to issues of social justice and white privilege in this society.  The Journal of Educational Controversy invites readers to submit carefully thought-out analyses on this conflict that will shed some light on the issues and provide a reasoned, tenable position.