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Date
Contact:
Tom Davis
Troy Office of University Relations
334/670-3196
tomdavis@troy.edu
Office of University Relations
253 Adams Administration
Troy, AL 36082
(334) 670-3196
(334) 670-3274 (fax)
| Troy State University professor’s book calls for changes in teacher education |
| A
newly published book by a Troy State University professor calls
for reform of the traditional way American universities teach
future teachers. Dr. Diane D. Orlofsky, professor of music education in the John M. Long School of Music, is the author of "Redefining Teacher Education: The Theories of Jerome Bruner and the Practice of Training Teachers." The book is published by Peter Lang Publishing of New York as part of its "Rethinking Childhood" series. Dr. Orlofsky was introduced to the writings of Jerome Bruner, a former professor of psychology at Harvard and Oxford universities, while she was in graduate school in the 1980s. While Bruner’s writings and theories were geared toward children, Dr. Orlofsky believes many of his theories also apply in her college classrooms. "We have set the bar too low in many teacher education classes," Dr. Orlofsky said. "We need to raise the quality of instruction in the classroom, putting more responsibility on teacher educators." "Redefining Teacher Education" also urge educators to "sacrifice breadth of knowledge for depth of knowledge." Dr. Orlofsky explained that teachers, in their rush to cover course material, often neglect to provide their students with the depth required to master key principles. Dr. Orlofsky’s book challenges teachers of education to reject a "one size fits all" approach. It suggests that both teachers and their students become learners who won’t be afraid to take risks. "True reform needs to take place one classroom at a time," Dr. Orlofsky said. This is the first book for Dr. Orlofsky, who joined the TSU faculty in 1986. She decided to write it after years of studying the writings of Dr. Bruner. She first met Dr. Bruner in 1995 during a four-hour interview at New York University, and has stayed in touch with the famed educator-psychologist ever since. "This book is really an attempt to try to turn renewed attention back to some of Dr. Bruner’s theories," she said. "They are grounded in common sense and are very applicable to the modern university classroom." |