PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Here’s a irony: University of Michigan, one of the nation’s premier research universities, is a national leader in pushing teacher-training programs out of the realm of theory to put considerably more emphasis on practical. hands-on experience.

And it’s a change that’s badly needed, several experts agreed at the annual convention of the  Education Writers Association, which is being held this week in Philadelphia.

Ted Mitchell, president of the NewSchools Venture Fund and former dean of UCLA School of Education, is among those who think schools of education need to dramatically change their ways.

Mitchell said a basic problem with education colleges is they are part of an American higher education system where the emphasis is on theory and research, versus teaching the practical skills of a craft.

“That’s great if you want to to be a classics scholar,” Mitchell said. “It’s bad if you’re going to be a teacher.

[Read the entire article at mLive]