Preserving the status quo from above and below: a Canadian case study of teaching masters, 1909 – 1959

ABSTRACT Over the course of the twentieth century, Ontario teacher education underwent substantial transformations in terms of policy, jurisdiction and design, which shifted authority from provincially controlled normal schools to more semi-autonomous teachers’ colleges and finally to faculties within university campuses. In looking at these top-level political decisions, a sense of inevitable momentum emerges, leading to a rather oversimplified interpretation of rapid, universal acceptance of these decisions. The present case study argues that behind this rhetoric of change, there seems to have been more of a desire for constancy, reinforced by individual normal-school staff members themselves at each location. Who was hired, their initial belief systems at the time of their appointment, the durability of their philosophies, the roles they understood they were playing, and their enduring motivations all impacted the rate of development of teacher-education programme in the province. The emerging picture is of a socially constructed group of teacher educators held together by their strong shared convictions, culture and social connections, while also acting as part of a wider, hierarchical education network. It was through these perceptions that the institution under study tempered radical changes put forward by any outside forces, leading to a more gradual rate of reform.