Improvisation in Teaching and Teacher Education

Abstract

Remember Y2K? Back in those days, important changes took place in the way universities in Quebec were to conceive teacher education: “professional competencies” were supposed to become the backbone of our programs (see Lajoie & Pallascio, 2001). One key idea we have drawn from this requirement is the concept of “knowing how to act in the moment.” How could student-teachers be prepared to know how to deal with the unexpected? And not only to “know how”, but indeed develop know-how, competencies to actually act in the moment and make the best – in terms of the subject matter – of surprising, unforeseen, startling events that sparkle in the everyday of teaching and learning? Even more: how can this “know how”be made part of “formal,” intra muros, teacher education, and not only fall on the charge of practicum? Our answer: improvisation!