THE TRANSFORMING PRACTITIONER:  TO KNOW, TO DO, TO BE

Overview

Theme
The Professional Education Unit's Conceptual Framework is the underlying foundation for its teacher education and educational leadership programs and is organized around the theme, "The Transforming Practitioner," at both the initial and advanced levels of study. 

Definition of "The Transforming Practitioner"

"The Transforming Practitioner," a living link in the educational process, is an educator who is changing internally through understanding, practicing, and reflecting such that, individually and collaboratively, he or she implements for all learners appropriate and significant life-changing experiences that effectively provide for the needs of the individual, actively engage students in the learning process, and promote life-long learning.  (The term "Transforming Practitioner" is used throughout this document when referring to issues, theory, principles, characteristics, etc. that are common across all programs.  When reference is made specifically to the educational leadership program, the term "Transformational Leader" is used.)

The Conceptual Framework

Within the context of a distinctive Baptist heritage, the Quality Enhancement Plan of Mercer University ("The Engaged University: Learning Together"), and the knowledgeable blending of theory and practice, the Professional Education Unit has chosen To Know, To Do, and To Be as organizing principles of the Conceptual Framework that under girds its teacher education and educational leadership programs at Mercer University. 

The Conceptual Framework principles, To Know, To Do, and To Be, prepare the candidate to adapt to and meet the needs of a current and changing society while highlighting the Baptist tradition of promoting mediation, settlement, compromise, and understanding in the classroom, in the school system, and in the community.  Preparing the candidate to be a Transforming Practitioner is vital to successful educational practice in increasingly diverse settings.  Blending theory with field experiences helps to actualize this preparation both for teachers and educational leaders. 

Teachers and educational leaders who are Transforming Practitioners must embrace the processes of understanding, practicing, and reflecting, which are indeed vital components of transformation.  Each of these three processes is important and meaningful in itself, but the three are also interconnected in very real ways.  Understanding informs practice.  The wisdom developed through practice increases and modifies understanding and, ideally, leads to rich and meaningful reflection.  Reflection causes teachers and educational leaders to enhance their levels of understanding and to make substantive as well as subtle changes in their practice.  These processes of understanding, practicing, and reflecting are themes that are infused in and richly woven throughout the principles of the Conceptual Framework:  To Know, To Do, and To Be.  Moreover, The Transforming Practitioner appreciates, honors, nurtures, and demonstrates the following three characteristics in classrooms and other school settings:  engagement of students in learning, the ability to work with a diversity of students in meaningful and respectful ways, and the ability to be involved in effective collaboration with students, other educators, parents, and the community.