Colleges of education should give more thought to the kinds of knowledge that aspiring teachers need before they enter classrooms and should forge links with schools to create environments of ongoing professional development for teachers who are already in classrooms.

These are just two of the draft policy recommendations that resulted from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund/Teachers College Forum on Teacher Education, held Friday, October 26, at TC.

The forum, titled "New Teachers for a New Century," brought together leading scholars of education, representatives from foundations, the press and advocacy groups, and teachers and administrators from the New York City public schools.

A complete report, with policy recommendations, will be released in a few months.

The project was organized by the TC Center for Educational Outreach and Innovation.

Among those attending the forum were: Abby O'Neill of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Thomas W. Evans, chairman of the TC Trustees, Donald Stewart, a TC Trustee and president of The College Board, and Linda Darling-Hammond, William F. Russell Professor in the Foundations of Education, who was one of the speakers at the forum.

Another major part of the forum was a "town hall" discussion among teachers from the New York City public schools, including Hazel Du Bois and Nehru Kelevh.

Other speakers included Nel Noddings of Stanford University, John Goodlad of the University of Washington, and Dean Zumwalt.

Published Thursday, Apr. 11, 2002