People are behaviorally and psychologically complex to a point that we cannot separate ourselves from our values, beliefs, and assumptions; they affect every part of our lives. In education, beliefs influence what, why, and how something is taught. The many threads of teacher belief literature have deepened our understanding of the teaching phenomenon for many decades. This article suggests that educational quality can be improved if teachers would analyze their own educational belief systems more systematically and comprehensively. The article gives a brief history of teacher belief research and suggests a framework by which teachers could analyze their thinking, beliefs, or assumptions. The article finishes with an example of how one professor integrated teacher belief research into a college course helping pre-service art educators analyze their conflicting belief systems.
Cultural pressure on teachers to prove that they are high quality educators continues to increase. Implemented by state and national legislators, K-12 educational initiatives in many states are poised to equate teacher quality with student achievement through high stakes testing. So what is the answer to improving the education teaching profession? Is it more governmental oversight of teacher licensing? Is it implementing more challenging degree programs at the University? Is it longer practicum placements for pre-service teachers?
I believe the most effective answer to improving teaching is for that teacher to change themselves through the renewing of their mind. To truly begin understanding the complexities of our successes and failures in the teaching and learning process of education, I suggest that each one of us enter into the world of teacher belief research. Analyzing teacher belief systems focuses on assumptions, images, theories, and knowledge teachers hold (a) about teaching and learning, and (b) about the subject matter to be taught to their students (Kagan, 1992; Deemer, 2004). A central task of researching teacher beliefs is to help a teacher move from an implicit, privately held belief system to a consciously explicit belief system (Pajaras, 1992). Those who utilize teacher belief literature view it as purposeful toward enhancing teachers’ understanding of how and why their teaching process looks and works the way it does (Love & Kruger, 2005; Osguthorpe & Sanger; 2013; Pajaras, 1992; Silverman, 2010).
Self-reflection and the analysis of a teacher’s four zones of belief, discussed in this article, will transform their practice. I have been helping art teachers think deeper about their own pedagogical beliefs systems since 2005. After seeing such tremendous growth of self-awareness in the educators I have worked with, I know it has potential to help others.
This article argues that if educational quality is going to truly improve in education, then teachers will need to lead the way by analyzing their own educational belief systems in a more thorough and systematic way. Within this article a brief history of teacher belief research is given and a framework is suggested by which art teachers can analyze their thinking, assumptions, and beliefs as well as understand how these belief systems relate to their teaching practice. The article concludes with an example of a college course that integrates teacher belief research within an art education history course, helping teachers analyze their own personal educational belief systems.