The Education of American Teachers

In The Education of American Teachers (1963), James B. Conant recommended a specific structure for teacher preparation programs. He suggested that for elementary teachers, half of the four-year program should focus on general education courses, a quarter on an "area of concentration," and the remaining quarter on professional studies, including school experience. For prospective secondary teachers, Conant advocated for even more time dedicated to the subjects they would teach, with less than 10 percent allocated to practice teaching and special methods. This emphasis on subject matter for secondary teachers is a common approach in many countries. Conant was an American educator and scientist who also served as president of Harvard University.12