The teachers’ training to the elementary education according to the Committee of fifteen: school form and the knowledge for teaching

ABSTRACT

At the end of the 19^th century it is proposed by the Committee of fifteen a reform to the elementary education of the United States, in which it can be seen recommendations to the modification of the teachers’ training in that country. From the analysis of the report made about the topic, we sought to characterize the model of the school form that stands out according to the proposal, as well as to identify the knowledge that should serve as a “tool”, here called knowledge for teaching, for future North American teachers. This way, the concepts of school form (VINCENT; LAHIRE; THIN, 2001), knowledge for teaching (HOFSTETTER; SCHNEUWLY, 2017) and the objectification of knowledge constitute a theoretical and methodological basis in this work. Finally, it was possible to observe that the proposal elaborated by the Committee of fifteen for the teachers’ training establishes an education in two axes: theoretical academic and analytical practical. The first axis, linked to the knowledge of the sciences, that are the object of teaching, and the knowledge referring to pedagogical processes, the school environment and teaching methodologies. In this axis, knowledge for teaching already objectified, acquired by theoretical studies, are highlighted. The second axis focuses on the observation of “good teaching” and the practice of teaching, both being accompanied by guidance from the most experienced. It is possible to infer that such knowledge could not be transmitted in any other way, thus highlighting a still very early stage of objectifying this knowledge.

Keywords:
School form; History of education; Knowledge objectification