EDUC 1301 – Introduction to the Teaching Profession
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EDUC 1301
Introduction to the Teaching Profession
Key Terms
CHAPTER 1
National Board for
Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS)
A professional organization charged with establishing voluntary standards for
recognizing superior teachers as board certified.
normal school
A two-year teacher education institution popular in the nineteenth century.
Many normal schools were expanded to become today's state colleges and
universities.
pedagogy
The science of teaching.
portfolio
Compilations of work (such as papers, projects, videotapes) assembled to
demonstrate growth, creativity, and competence. Often advocated as a more
comprehensive assessment than test scores.
CHAPTER 2
accelerated programs
The more rapid promotion of gifted students through school.
advanced placement
Courses and programs in which younger students can earn college credit.
affective domain
The area of learning that involves attitudes, values, and emotions.
appropriate education
A part of Public Law 94-142 that protects the right of students with disabilities to an
education that reflects an accurate diagnosis.
assistive or adaptive
technology
Devices that help the disabled to perform and learn more effectively, from voiceactivated keyboards and mechanical wheelchairs to laptops for class note taking and
personal scheduling.
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cognitive domain
The area of learning that involves knowledge, information, and intellectual skills.
emotional intelligence
quotient (EQ)
A new human dimension that measures personality characteristics, such as
persistence. Some believe that EQ scores may be better predictors of future success
than IQ scores.
exceptional learners
Students who require special education and related services to realize their full
potential. Categories of exceptionality include retarded, gifted, learning disabled,
emotionally disturbed, and physically disabled.
gifted learner
A term most frequently applied to those with exceptional intellectual ability. It may
also refer to learners with outstanding ability in athletics, leadership, music,
creativity, and so forth. There is great variance in definitions and categorizations of
the "gifted."
inclusion
The practice of educating and integrating children with disabilities into regular
classroom settings.
individualized education The mechanism through which a disabled child's special needs are identified,
program (IEP)
objectives and services are described, and evaluation is designed.
Individuals with
Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA)
Federal law passed in 1990 that extends full education services and provisions to
people identified with disabilities.
learning disabilities
An educationally significant language and/or learning deficit.
learning styles
Students learn in different ways and have different preferences, ranging from
preferred light and noise levels to independent or group learning formats.
least-restrictive
environment
The program best suited to meeting a disabled student's special needs without
segregating the student from the regular educational program.
locus of control
A concept wherein learners attribute success or failure to external or internal
factors. "The teacher didn't review the material well" is an example of attribution to
an external factor and represents an external locus of control. In this case, the
learner avoids responsibility for behavior. When students have an internal locus of
control, they believe that they control their fate and take responsibility for events.
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mainstreaming
(inclusion)
The inclusion of special education students in the regular education program. The
nature and extent of this inclusion should be based on meeting the special needs of
the child.
multiple intelligences
A theory developed by Howard Gardner to expand the concept of human
intelligence to include such areas as logical-mathematical, linguistic, bodilykinesthetic, musical, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.
nondiscriminatory
education
A principle, based on the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution,
that mandates that children with disabilities be fairly assessed so that they can be
protected from inappropriate classification and tracking.
portfolio
Compilations of work (such as papers, projects, videotapes) assembled to
demonstrate growth, creativity, and competence. Often advocated as a more
comprehensive assessment than test scores.
procedural due process The right of children with disabilities and their parents to be notified of school
actions and decisions; to challenge those decisions before an impartial tribunal,
using counsel and expert witnesses; to examine the school records on which a
decision is based; and to appeal whatever decision is reached.
regular education
initiative
The attempt to reduce the complications and expense of segregated special
education efforts by teaching special needs students in the standard educational
program through collaborative consultation, curricular modifications, and
environment adaptations.
special education
Programs and instruction for children with physical, mental, emotional, or learning
disabilities or gifted students who need special educational services to achieve at
their ability level.
stereotypes
Absolute statements applied to all members of a group, suggesting that members of
a group have a fixed, often inherited set of characteristics.
zero reject
The principle that no child with disabilities may be denied a free and appropriate
public education.
CHAPTER 3
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assimilation
(enculturation)
The process of acquiring a culture; a child's acquisition of the cultural heritage through
both formal and informal educational means.
bilingual education
Educational programs in which students of limited or no English-speaking ability
attend classes taught in English, as well as in their native language. There is great
variability in these programs in goals, instructional opportunity, and balance between
English and a student's native language.
cultural difference
theory
A theory that asserts that academic problems can be overcome if educators study and
mediate the cultural gap separating school and home.
cultural pluralism
Acceptance and encouragement of cultural diversity.
culturally responsive
teaching
An approach to multicultural education that recognizes that students learn in different
ways, and that effective teachers recognize and respond to those differences. This
approach also mediates the frequent mismatch between home and school cultures and
honors cultural heritages.
culture
A set of learned beliefs, values, and behaviors; a way of life shared by members of a
society.
deficit theory
A theory that asserts that the values, language patterns, and behaviors that children
from certain racial and ethnic groups bring to school put them at an educational
disadvantage.
demographic
forecasting
The study and predictions of people and their vital statistics.
English as a Second
Language (ESL)
An immersion approach to bilingual education that removes students from the regular
classroom to provide instruction in English.
English language
learners (ELL)
Students whose native language is not English and are learning to speak and write
English. Also referred to as limited English proficiency or LEP.
ethnicity
A term that refers to shared common cultural traits such as language, religion, and
dress. A Latino or Hispanic, for example, belongs to an ethnic group, but might belong
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to the Black, Caucasian, or Asian race.
expectation theory
First made popular by Rosenthal and Jacobson, a theory that holds that a student's
academic performance can be improved if a teacher's attitudes and beliefs about that
student's academic potential are modified.
generalizations
Broad statements about a group that offer information, clues, and insights that can
help a teacher plan more effectively. Generalizations are a good starting point, but as
the teacher learns more about the students, individual differences become more
educationally significant.
immersion
A bilingual education model that teaches students with limited English by using a
"sheltered" or simplified English vocabulary, but teaching in English and not in the
other language.
language submersion A bilingual education model that teaches students in classes where only English is
spoken, the teacher does not know the language of the student, and the student
either learns English as the academic work progresses or pays the consequences. This
has been called a "sink or swim" approach.
maintenance
(developmental)
approach
A bilingual model that emphasizes the importance of acquiring English while
maintaining competence in the native language.
CHAPTER 4
ability grouping
The assignment of pupils to homogeneous groups according to intellectual ability or
level for instructional purposes.
alternative families
Family units that differ from the traditional image; examples include foster care
children, single parents, central role of grandparents, and gay couples.
detrack
The movement to eliminate school tracking practices, which often have racial, ethnic,
and class implications.
gatekeeping
Philip Jackson's term describing how teachers control classroom interactions.
latchkey
A term used to describe children who go home after school to an empty house; their
parents or guardians are usually working and not home.
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McKinney Vento
The primary piece of federal legislation dealing with the education of homeless children
Homeless Assistance in public schools.
Act
sociograms
A diagram that is constructed to record social interactions, such as which children
interact frequently and which are isolates.
tracking
The method of placing students according to their ability level in homogeneous classes
or learning experiences. Once a student is placed, it may be very difficult to move up
from one track to another. The placements may reflect racism, classism, or sexism.
unremarked
revolution
The unheralded but persistent move of schools away from formal tracking programs.
CHAPTER 5
A Nation at Risk
A 1983 federal report that characterized U.S. schools as mediocre, putting the nation
at risk of losing economic and technological ground to other countries. The report
called for renewed emphasis on core academic subjects and ushered in the era of
"back-to-basics" education.
acculturation
The acquisition of the dominant culture's norms by a member of the nondominant
culture. The nondominant culture typically loses its own culture, language, and
sometimes religion in this process.
Americanization
The acculturation of American norms and values.
charter school
A school established by a charter between a local school board or a state government
and a group of teachers, parents, and even businesses. A charter school is exempt
from many state and local regulations. Designed to promote creative new schools,
the charter represents legal permission to try new approaches to educate students.
The first charter legislation was passed in Minnesota in 1991.
distance learning
Courses, programs, and training provided to students over long distances through
television, the Internet, and other technologies.
Edison Schools
An educational company that contracts with local school districts, promising to
improve student achievement while making a profit in the process.
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five-factor theory of
effective schools
A theory, developed through school effectiveness research, that emphasizes five
factors: effective leadership, monitoring student progress, safety, a clear vision, and
high expectations.
full service school
Schools that provide a network of social services from nutrition and health care to
parental education and transportation, all designed to support the comprehensive
educational needs of children.
homeschooling
A growing trend (but a longtime practice) of parents educating their children at
home, for religious or philosophical reasons.
magnet school
A specialized school open to all students in a district on a competitive or lottery basis.
It provides a method of drawing children away from segregated neighborhood schools
while affording unique educational specialties, such as science, math, and the
performing arts.
merit pay
A salary system that periodically evaluates teacher performance and uses these
evaluations in determining salary.
norm-referenced tests Tests that compare individual students with others in a designated norm group.
objective-referenced
tests
Tests that measure whether students have mastered a designated body of knowledge
rather than how they compare with other students in a norm group.
open enrollment
The practice of permitting students to attend the school of their choice within their
school system. It is sometimes associated with magnet schools and desegregation
efforts.
privatization
The movement toward increased private sector, for-profit involvement in the
management of public agencies, including schools.
Reconstructionists
A view of education as a way to improve the quality of life, to reduce the chances of
conflict, and to create a more humane world. Also called social reconstructionism.
service credit
By volunteering in a variety of community settings, from nursing homes to child care
facilities, students are encouraged to develop a sense of community and meet what is
now a high school graduation requirement in some states.
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Tenure
A system of employment in which teachers, having served a probationary period,
acquire an expectancy of continued employment. The majority of states have tenure
laws.
virtual schools
A type of distance education offered through the Internet. Virtual schools provide
asynchronous learning and may offer specialized courses not typically found in
traditional schools.
voucher
A coupon, issued by the government, representing money targeted for schools. In a
voucher system, parents use educational vouchers to "shop" for a school. Schools
receive part or all of their per-pupil funding from these vouchers. In theory, good
schools would thrive and poor ones would close for lack of students.
CHAPTER 6
adequate yearly
progress (AYP)
A provision under the No Child Left Behind Act that requires each state to measure
school and student achievement to insure that appropriate progress is being made.
Schools that fail to meet the AYP criteria (often determined by standardized tests) face
consequences.
authentic
assessment
A type of evaluation that represents actual performance, encourages students to reflect
on their own work, and is integrated into the student's whole learning process. Such
tests usually require that students synthesize knowledge from different areas and use
that knowledge actively.
content standards
The knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students should master in each subject.
These standards are often linked to broader themes and sometimes to testing programs.
core curriculum
A central body of knowledge that schools require all students to study.
core knowledge
Awareness of the central ideas, beliefs, personalities, writings, events, etc. of a culture.
Also termed cultural literacy.
creationism
The position that God created the universe, the earth, and living things on the earth in
precisely the manner described in the Old Testament, in six, 24-hour periods.
critical pedagogy
An education philosophy that unites the theory of critical thinking with actual practice in
real-world settings. The purpose is to eliminate the cultural and educational control of
the dominant group, to have students apply critical thinking skills to the real world and
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become agents for social change.
critical thinking
skills
Higher-order intellectual skills such as comparing, interpreting, observing, summarizing,
classifying, creating, and criticizing.
cultural literacy
Knowledge of the people, places, events, idioms and informal content of the dominant
culture.
curriculum
Planned content of instruction that enables the school to meet its aims.
digital divide
A term used to describe the technological gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots."
Race, gender, class, and geography are some of the demographic factors influencing
technological access and achievement.
evolution
As put forth by Charles Darwin, a keystone of modern biological theory and postulates
that animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that there are
modifications in successive generations.
extracurriculum
The part of school life that comprises activities, such as sports, academic and social
clubs, band, chorus, orchestra, and theater. Many educators think that the
extracurriculum develops important skills and values, including leadership, teamwork,
creativity, and diligence.
formal or explicit
curriculum
A school's official curriculum that is reflected in academic courses and requirements.
implicit or hidden
curriculum
What students learn, other than academic content, from what they do or are expected to
do in school; incidental learnings.
intelligent design
The argument that instances in nature cannot be explained by Darwinian evolution, but
instead are consistent with the notion of an intelligent involvement in the design of life.
last mile problem
A digital divide in which geography is a factor, in part because running fiber-optic cables
to rural schools is often an expense that telecommunications companies avoid. See also
digital divide.
metacognition
Self-awareness of our thinking process as we perform various tasks and operations. For
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example, when students articulate how they think about academic tasks, it enhances
their thinking and enables teachers to target assistance and remediation.
multicultural
education
Educational policies and practices that not only recognize but also affirm human
differences and similarities associated with gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability,
and class.
No Child Left Behind A federal law passed in 2001 that emphasizes high-stakes standardized testing by
(NCLB)
requiring schools to annually assess students' achievement in reading, math, and
science. Schools report not only individual test scores but also scores by race, ethnicity,
disability, social class, and limited English proficiency.
null curriculum
The curriculum that is not taught in schools.
opportunity-to-learn Standards that attempt to recognize and respond to individual differences and
standards
circumstances. Poorer students learning in schools with fewer resources should receive
more appropriate and adequate learning opportunities, and if some students need more
time to take tests, additional time should be provided. Also called delivery standards.
performance
standards
Statements that describe what teachers or students should be able to do, and how well
they should do it.
standards-based
education
Education that specifies precisely what students should learn, focuses the curriculum and
instruction (and perhaps much more) on meeting those standards, and provides
continual testing to see if the standards are achieved.
stealth or selfcensorship
The quiet removal of a book from a library shelf or a course of study to avoid possible
problems and parental complaints. Teachers practice the same sort of self-censorship
when they choose not to teach a topic or not to discuss a difficult issue.
textbook adoption
states
States, most often those in the South and West, that have a formal process for
assessing, choosing, and approving textbooks for school use.
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