College of Teachers

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The College of Teachers is a large association of teachers and associated para-professionals in the United Kingdom.

It was founded as the Society of Teachers in 1846, and incorporated by Royal Charter as the College of Preceptors in 1849. It changed its name to College of Teachers in 1998. The College published The Educational Times, 1847-1923. The College initially awarded qualifications for secondary school teachers and pupils. Today the College provides qualifications for teachers or trainers and para-educationalists including teaching assistants, governors, and anyone else who is operating in a support capacity to teachers or trainers.[1].


Contents

[edit] History

The College was founded by a group of private schoolmasters from Brighton who were concerned about standards within their profession. The College created a system for the formal examination and qualification of secondary school teachers. It was also one of the first bodies to examine and provide certificates for secondary school pupils of both sexes, from all over England and Wales, in a wide variety of subjects[2]

During the 1870s, the College helped to establish education as a subject worthy of study at University level, resulting in the appointment of Joseph Payne as the first Professor of Education. Frances Buss (1827-1894), and Sir John Adams (1857-1934) were also connected to the College. During the 1950s the college pioneered management training schemes for teachers (at the time these were known as school administration courses).

In more recent years, the college has enjoyed a lot of adverse publicity due to its links with eurolinks and actdec.

[edit] Membership Designations

The College has over the years had an array of various membership designations or post-nominals. These have included:

Membership/Subscription based Post-nominals before 1999

  • MCollP - Member of the College of Preceptors
  • LCollP - Licentiate of the College of Preceptors
  • FCollP - Fellow of the College of Preceptors

In 1999, this membership structure changed to the follow post-nominals:

  • AMCollT - Associate Member of the College of Teachers
  • MCollT - Member of the College of Teachers
  • FCollT - Fellowship of the College of Teachers

Fellows were allowed to retain their more historical FCollP designation or change to the newer post-nominal.

[edit] Diploma Designations

Over the years, the College has also been instrumental in the recognition of many noted national and international educators. These individuals have been inducted into the school's Honorary Fellow Charter (Hon FCP). There are over 150 Charter Fellows including: Drs. G.H. Read, William G. Carr, John M. Rhoads; The Baroness Platt of Writtle, Sir Brynmor Jones and Professors Zoya Malkova, Ulrich-Johannes Kledzik and George Browne Rego.(Lindgren, 1993)

At present, as in the past, the College has provided both an examining facility as well as an educational membership society. According to its original charter of 1849, the College of Preceptors (now College of Teachers) is empowered to award diplomas in various areas of teacher training. The College's diplomas included the Associate diploma (ACP), degree level Licentiate diploma (LCP), post experience or degree diploma (DipASE) and the society's highest honor, the Fellowship diploma (FCP). (Lindgren, 1991). The Fellowship diploma is awarded for a 25.000-50,000 word thesis.

In 1999, the College renamed many of its diploma post-nominals, re-designing the award system as follows:

  • ACoT - Associateship of the College of Teachers
  • LCoT (not currently awarded) - Licenciate of the College of Teachers
  • FCoT - Fellowship of the College of Teachers

The FCoT, like the earlier FCP, is awarded for original research, a series of published articles or an original work in the field of educational studies.

Two foundation qualifications also exist which carry no post-nominal designations

  • COES - Certificate of Educational Studies
  • DOES - Diploma of Educational Studies

The College also offers qualifications in TESOL at the following levels:

  • Preliminary Level - Certificate of Educational Studies in TESOL
  • Level 1 - Associateship in TESOL (does not include a practicum)
  • Level 1 - Advanced Certificate in TESOL (includes a practicum)
  • Level 2 - Diploma in TESOL (does not include a practicum)
  • Level 2 - Advanced Diploma in TESOL (includes a practicum)

TESOL courses are offered through centres for which they have gained accreditation from the College.To find out more about what accredited TESOL courses are offered by our centres, please visit our web site via the External Links section shown below.

The Fellowship in TESOL is also available through centres.

[edit] Publications

[edit] Journals

  • The Educational Times published 1847-[1923]
  • Education Today published from 1950.

[edit] Books

  • College of Preceptors. Metropolitan Executive. (1977). Children under stress. London: College of Preceptors. 
  • College of Preceptors ([1967]). The movement for registration in the teaching profession 1861-1966. London: College of Preceptors. 
  • College of Preceptors ([1896]). Fifty years of progress in education : a review of the work of the College of Preceptors from its foundation in 1846 to its jubilee in 1896. London: College of Preceptors. 

[edit] Primary Sources

The archives of the College of Preceptors are held in the Archives of the Institute of Education, University of London [1].

[edit] Published Sources

  • Carl Edwin Lindgren (March, 1990). A Haven for the Professional Educator, Vol. XCVI, No. 3, 53-55.
  • Carl Edwin Lindgren (Winter, 1991). Academic Awards for Educators. Record (Kappa Delta Pi), Vol. 27, No. 1, 57.
  • Carl Edwin Lindgren & Emerson, Peggy (September/October, 1993). British Inservice for American Educators. The Clearing House, 48-50.
  • Carl Edwin Lindgren (Spring 1993) A Vignette. An International College of Teacher Training. International Education, Vol. 22, No. 2:40-45.
  • Chapman, J Vincent (1985). Professional roots : the College of Preceptors in British society. Epping: Theydon Bois. 
  • College of Preceptors ([1985]). Fifty years of progress in education : a review of the work of the College of Preceptors from its foundation in 1846 to its jubilee in 1896. 

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ College of Teachers (2007), Overview of Qualifications, <http://www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk/cpd/index.htm>. Retrieved on 27 March 2008 
  2. ^ Institute of Education Archives: DC/COP Records of the College of Preceptors.. Institute of Education. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.