Preparing Teachers for a Mission: Six Lessons Shared with the Military

Vast research and personal testimonies provide strong evidence that a highly effective teacher plays a critical role in the successes of their students, particularly those at risk of underachievement. That same evidence is now being demanded of teacher preparation programs. By comparison, military preparation programs have long been outcome-based and scrutinized for their ability to prepare military professionals for readiness in the field or their failure to do so. In this paper, authors with extensive backgrounds in teaching and/or military preparation examined their respective strategies of preparing students for professional missions. They identify and discuss six lessons shared by both teaching preparation programs and military preparation programs, which based on their experience and extensive relevant research, have contributed to the effectiveness of education and military professionals in the field. In their conclusion, the authors discuss the critical importance of developing a Battlemind, defined as an empowering mindset for promoting professional sustainability and success in achieving specific, meaningful outcomes in the field.