A+| A| A-
Revamping Teacher Education
The quality of existing teacher education institutions in India leaves a lot to be desired. An idea that has been expressed at various forums over the years is the desirability of placing teacher education programmes in multidisciplinary environments. This article explores this idea and examines the adequacy of the recently revised norms in implementing it.
American writer William Arthur Ward once wrote, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” If figures are to be believed, a vast majority of aspiring teachers in India are unable to comprehend basic concepts of mathematics, let alone explain or demonstrate the same to students, a far cry from providing them with any “inspiration.” Results of teacher eligibility tests (TET) held across states have been painting a sorry picture of the quality of aspiring teachers, with percentages of qualified candidates being as low as 3.22% (Srinagar, September 2014) and 4.43% (Maharashtra, March 2014). As far back as 1964–66, the Education Commission1 had discussed concerns relating to teacher training and education in India. Yet, as the decades passed, despite policy measures, the subject perhaps failed to garner the attention it deserved.
Teacher Education in India
Dear Reader,
Or
To gain instant access to this article (download).
(Readers in India)
(Readers outside India)
