Abstract
This article discusses the policy changes in elementary school teacher education within the last hundred years and analyses from historical perspective their background. The findings are as following. First, the teacher education policy transfers from Japanese pattern to American pattern. Second, the pattern turns from plan-based to preparation-based. Third, the access to teacher education is transformed from the only single way to multiple ways. Fourth, liberation of teachers’ sex distribution emerged when male teachers are largely outnumbered by female teachers in elementary schools. Fifth, a contradictory phenomenon comes to pass. While the social status and salary of teachers attract outstanding talents to the teaching profession, the extremely low rate of pre-service teachers passing the threshold is quite unfavorable to them. After presenting the advantages and disadvantages of elementary school teacher education policy, this study proposes suggestions for future development: First, maintain traditional culture in such aspects as of honoring teachers and valuing their competence. Continue to meet the demand of proficiency in elementary school teacher education. Second, maintain the focuses of traditional teacher education on professionalism in teaching and pre-service teacher clinic training. Third, retain to a degree the system of funding students’ teacher education at state expense. Fourth, increase the rate of pre-service teachers passing the threshold and guide teacher education students’ career planning.