Markets, standards, teaching, and teacher education

Market-based approaches to teacher education are growing internationally. T here are concomitant moves to create uniformity and a system of more centra lized authority over what counts as important teacher skills and knowledge. These kinds of reforms are overtly meant to help. Each is closely connecte d to the larger arena of education, where momentous ideological transformat ions are underway. The possible hidden effects of these efforts can be unde rstood only if we look both inside teacher education programs and to the la rger social field of power on which they operate. The author argues that th e conscious originating motives for both market-oriented and uniform standa rds approaches to improve the quality of teacher education may not guarante e the effects of such policies in the real would of real schools. Such refo rms may have quite dangerous consequences unless we situate our efforts wit hin an honest analysis of what is happening in education in general right n ow.