The Unifying Forces of Diversity, Leadership, Oral and Written Communication, Technology, Purposeful Reflection, and Parents and Community in Our Strong Liberal Arts Background:

Various professional organizations have cited the essential need that our Professionals for the Future have the ability to consider the diverse perspectives of their learners (and fellow professionals within their particular field of expertise [e.g., NCTE, 1996; NCTM, 1989]). This diversity includes the way in which particular individuals examine content, communicate within the content, express their background knowledge in the content, and so forth.

Therefore, our Professionals for the Future must have a strong liberal arts background to help them “impact learners in diverse learning communities.” An understanding of the society, expected skills, history, and philosophies of the culture in which the professional will be practicing will allow the professional to be a model of expertise and citizenry that is expected by many in today’s diverse society (Goodlad, 1984; Rose & Gallup, 2003; Sadker and Sadker, 1997).

In addition strong leadership understanding and skills are essential in today’s school and society. In order to provide this leadership, Professionals for the Future must have a basis of understanding that is considered expert for their profession and for professionals in general (Donaldson, 2001; DuFour & Eaker, 1998; Fullan, 2001;Morrison, Ross, & Kemp, 2001). According to Gardner (1995):

Despite a rapidly changing world, leadership remains crucially important in institutions ranging from schools to nations. Much of what is beneficent in the world has been inspired by farsighted leaders, even as many of the horrors of the world have been wrought by leaders who, while perhaps equally gifted, have used their powers destructively (p. xiv).

It is important that our Professionals for the Future understand the role of leadership within the society and how they might demonstrate a liberal arts expertise to be considered a leader within the school and community.

Further, the Professional for the Future needs to demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate through oral and written communication. This ability has been oft cited as a necessary tool of the educational professional (Danielson, 1996; Darling-Hammond, 2002; INTASC, 1992). Students should be well prepared through their liberal arts training to be effective communicators within the school and community. This is a vital characteristic of Professionals for the Future since they many times provide the model of communication expertise to their students.

A strong liberal arts background is also essential to the Professional for the Future due to the constant interaction of the professional with parents and the community. One role of the professional is that of social and civic responsibility (Goodlad, 1984; Rose & Gallup, 2003; Sadker and Sadker, 1997). This role requires the Professional for the Future to be adept at effectively interacting with a diverse constituency. To accomplish this goal the Professional for the Future must exhibit basic communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of social and governmental processes, philosophical ideas, history, and so forth.

The role of technology in developing a strong liberal arts expertise should not be underestimated. The ability to effectively use of technology is not just a “school-building” concern. But as noted by ISTE (2002), “To live, learn, and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information-rich society, students and teachers must use technology effectively” (p.4). The ability to use technology has become essential since much of the information we now use has been created, compiled, and/or presented through some form of advanced technology. Our students should be models of technology expertise and this expertise should improve as they progress through their initial liberal arts preparation and conclude their respective graduate program preparation.

Finally, purposeful reflection plays a key role in the development and improvement of a strong liberal arts background. As students are asked to consider various philosophical ideas, social and governmental processes, historical perspectives, and so forth, they are being asked to reflect on broad generalizations and concepts. This ability should continue to improve as they are asked to purposefully reflect more specifically on classroom learning. The strong liberal arts expert is able to think reflectively and purposefully about the content, diversity of student thought and background, underlying larger rationales for learning new content and/or skills, and so forth (Borko and Putnam, 1994; Danielson, 1996).

The liberal arts background that includes historical perspectives, governmental processes, philosophical perspectives, and so forth should improve as our Professionals for the Future continue through our undergraduate and graduate preparation programs. For instance as our candidates are asked to specifically consider governmental processes directing much of the efforts of education (such as No Child Left Behind), they are becoming more knowledgeable in their liberal arts background. As they consider the societal situations and conditions that led to many of the current theories of learning, their liberal arts background is improving. This is an ongoing and unending life-long learning pursuit.

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