Teacher Training and Innovation in the United States

teaching that moved away from the practices of rote memorization and more toward techniques to foster critical thinking among students. The curriculum was intended to standardize the principles of teaching and pass them on to prospective teachers through direct instruction and hands-on practice. Normal schools, typically a two-year program for high school graduates, emphasized learning about the world around them rather than solely the classical education provided by most four-year colleges. As the importance of well-trained teachers became increasingly evident throughout our history, normal schools gave way to state teachers colleges and universities that now provide four-year programs characterized by solid foundational subject area content knowledge along with