The Teacher Education Program and the Center of Inquiry sponsored a consultation meeting, April 11-13, 2003. The purpose of the consultation was to bring together a variety of people involved in teacher education and who represent public and private liberal arts institutions for a series of discussions about the relationship of the liberal arts and teacher education, both graduate and undergraduate levels. Participants were asked to write short papers addressing the key question for the meeting, "What is the role of and the relationship between liberal arts in/and teacher education?" Participants were encouraged to address a number of other issues related to teacher education and the liberal arts, which generated a number of themes in the papers that later served as discussion prompts for conversations throughout the weekend (see Appendix Y).
After being welcomed by President Andrew Ford and William Doemel at dinner on Friday night, participants discussed the liberal arts in general and debated the merits and challenges associated with trying to define the liberal arts. While the group debated the definition of the liberal arts, they discussed the difference between a liberal education, which implies a stance or attitude, and liberal arts education as a curriculum (meant to include pedagogical topics like instruction) or a set of general education requirements. Ultimately, the group asserted that a definitive statement about what the liberal arts are may not be as important as defending a liberal arts education as a foundation for teacher education.
On Saturday participants discussed other compelling issues, such as: the well-educated teacher vs. the liberally educated teacher; the context(s) of a liberal education; and the tensions that exist in the field of teacher education, in the relationship between arts and sciences and teacher education, and in the process of becoming a well-educated teacher in a culture of accreditation and high stakes assessment. Before considering the group's next steps in terms of advancing the relationship between the liberal arts and teacher education, they talked about how the relationship ought to look. On the final day of the meeting, the group thought about and deliberated future steps and brainstormed ways in which to advance the argument that liberally educated teachers are well suited for the challenges of the classroom.
Three consultation members have developed the draft of a White Paper over much of June and July, 2003, a draft copy of which is included in Appendix Y. Once this paper is completed it will be shared with participants of the conference and the members of the Teacher Education community to consider subsequent steps.