ABSTRACT
In the mission of its elementary teacher education program, the University of Wisconsin-Madison emphasizes a social reconstructionist tradition. In theory, this orientation implies a deliberate commitment by teacher educators to work for social change and is based on the belief that it is absolutely necessary for “beginning teachers to adopt a critical consciousness…if they are to become educators who are willing and able to address the growing inequities in our schools and wider society” (Frykholm, 1997, p. 57). At its core, social reconstructionism “emphasizes the ability of teachers to examine the social and political implications of their practice and the contexts in which they work for their contribution to greater equity and justice in schooling and society” (Zeichner, 1994a, p. 30). This orientation toward reflective and activist teaching is relevant to all educational settings, but absolutely imperative if we are ever to rectify the inequities that exist in this country’s urban schools and to sustain teachers who will advocate for change.
