EDUCATION
Inclusive Teacher Preparation Program
"Segregation is always reflective of culture and desegregation is always a challenge to that culture."
–Sarason, 1993, p.34
"Inclusion is a right - not a privilege for a select few"
–Judge John F. Gerry, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Third Circuit
Inclusive Teacher Preparation Program
In collaboration with the Curriculum, Instruction, Technology in Education Department in the College of Education at Temple University, faculty, teachers, students, people with disabilities and parents, we are working to restructure Temple University's undergraduate teacher preparation program. This initiative is about change...developing and implementing a unified undergraduate teacher preparation in which teacher candidates are prepared to teach a diverse student population in regular classes. This includes students form a broad range of ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds, including students with a wide range of learning styles and abilities.
Restructuring the teacher preparation program at Temple University is founded on the premise that change is a slow and complex process (Sarason, 1993) that requires a vision and mission, and long-term consensus-building with faculty and administration in the College of Education. Furthermore, this teacher preparation initiative is based on the premise that if change is to indeed occur, it must be done collaboratively with university faculty, teachers, parents, community members, and people with disabilities, themselves. Finally, this initiative is based on the belief that "separate can never be equal" (Shapiro, Loeb, & Bowermaster, 1993).
Education for All Coalition—more information
** The Inclusive Teacher Preparation Program is one of three university programs in Pennsylvania which is funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Planning Council to restructure its undergraduate teacher preparation program. The other two universities are Indiana and Duquense Universities.
