Origin of the species: An epistemological tale of classroom management theory and the evolution of a teacher preparation course syllabus

This dissertation dually explores the topics of classroom management theory as it occurs in teacher preparation programs in American colleges of education and of curriculum syllabus design of undergraduate education classes teaching such. It begins with the classroom management and teaching pedagogical knowledges gained through my experience as a first year teacher and comes full-circle through doctoral studies including designing an undergraduate teacher education course in classroom management. Further, it analyzes the syllabus created for this course comparing it against nine additional undergraduate syllabi and ends with future implications of the evolution of classroom management relating to teacher education programs and study suggestions for state coordinating boards, colleges of education and continued syllabi research.

Teacher education is part of a long-standing tradition in education, but at the same time is expected to play an integral role in the education change being called for by educational reformers, the public and students themselves. As the procedures and policies necessary to equip prospective teacher candidates with the knowledge, belief, behavior and pedagogy required to accomplish their duties effectively in the classroom, school and community environments, teacher education courses often focus on formal knowledge of the profession. However, classrooms deem evolve into practical knowledge, a more suitable philosophy. Moreover, fair practice, established routines and uncomplicated procedures aides in the quality of instruction provided and in the ability of students to retain, analyze and reconceptualize what they learned. By incorporating these concepts into syllabus design, courses in teacher education programs will become academically stronger leading to a higher quality of teacher being produced.

This dissertation will prove that superior teacher education programs begin in the design of their course syllabi and will answer What does a well-designed syllabus look like? by comparing 10 undergraduate classroom management course syllabi currently in use at six Tier One universities in the United States. Additionally, it will spotlight successful strategies in syllabus preparation to implement prior to the installation of accountability measures in teaching preparation programs and will discuss the evolutional paradigms of classroom management theory and teacher preparation programs.

It is proposed that a more conscious evolution of teacher education programs informed by formal and informal studies and forthcoming required policies take place in the development of the curriculum for undergraduate courses in higher education as a pro-active response to address education critics, field reformers and the complexities of future students.