Educating teachers to enact the science of learning and development

Drawing on recent syntheses of the emerging science of learning and development and its implications for school practice, this article examines the kinds of preparation teachers need to enact such practices. We synthesize research on how children learn and develop and research on how effective preparation programs support teachers in developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions associated with developing the whole child. This includes the “what” of teacher preparation – the content educators need to learn about children and their and learning – and the “how” of preparation – the strategies for educator learning that can produce deep understanding, critical skills and dispositions, and the capacity to reflect, learn, and continue to improve. Preparing educators to acquire and use these insights holds promise for generating the kinds of education that enable children ultimately to learn independently and thrive.