Chapter 3: Creating and Cultivating Spaces in Teacher Education for Voice

The teacher educator’s job is vast and it is hard to accomplish everything one needs to teach in a semester and during a teacher education program. We teach best practices, content pedagogy, literacy across the content areas, differentiation, and the list goes on. However, if we do not help future teachers find their voice and express it appropriately then we should not be surprised when we hear about scripted curriculum being implemented or teaching to the tests. This is one area that I believe is missing from many teacher preparation programs. By voice I do not mean their ability to project their actual voice in the classroom, although I have worked with a few students learn to develop this also. In this instance I refer to their voice as their ability to critically examine the curriculum they have been given to teach and then being able to explain to other teachers and administrators concerns they may have about said curriculum. We ask students in preparation programs to reflect constantly on the lessons they teach and the impact their lesson had on the students and ways they can improve. But, do we ask them to voice their opinions about the curricula they see and experience in schools once they graduate?