The Problem with “Nuts and Bolts:” How the Emphasis on “Highly Qualified Professionals” is Undermining Education

Abstract

Schools of education have seen many changes over the last 100 years (Labaree 2004). More recent modifications have included the slow and steady elimination of the social foundations of education in lieu of a more direct attention to teacher skills and basic training. The increased focus on the so-called “nuts and bolts” of teacher education trumps the larger vision of the purpose or function of education. This article proposes an alternative view of teacher education—one that places primary importance on the benefits of the social foundations on teacher education. In an effort to subvert the current trend toward technically trained teachers, schools of education should instead look to create teachers capable of critically investigating the context of their classroom within the broader world.