The Representation of Teaching in the Anglo-American Tradition: Opportunities for Intercultural Learning and Teacher Training

• Stefan Alexander Eick

This paper is the second installment of a two-part contribution examining the representation of teaching in Germany and the Anglo-American world. In contrast to the German tradition (Archiv, 259:1), the Anglo-American tradition replaces the ideal of Bildung with the supposed reality of “Gradgrind”, the “system focus” with a “teacher focus”, and the affirmative conservatism with a potential for transformation based on creativity, “life lessons” and meaningful interaction. The tradition thus offers possible pathways to the actual achievement of Bildung, while in itself lacking a direct equivalent to the German concept. These differences are interesting for intercultural learning. They are of particular relevance for teacher training in the Anglo-American world and, even more so, in Germany – provided that the neglect of the teaching environment can be compensated for.