ABSTRACT
Empirical research and different theoretical foundations have produced a variety of orientations to teacher education (e.g., Woolfolk, 1989; Tillema and Veenman, 1987). Since no one has been able to conclusively demonstrate the best method of preparing teachers, we believe in diverse approaches to improve teacher education. This chapter presents our contribution from the systems perspective on classroom communication, building on the research results discussed in the previous chapters. We are aware that this approach has a specific focus and should probably be combined with others which concentrate on instructional methodology or knowledge of subject matter. While recognizing the importance of the various approaches to teacher education (e.g., Lanier and Little, 1986), we devote this final segment to the improvement of teacher education by focusing on interpersonal relationships in the classroom.
