The high degree of autonomy college faculty members exercise in organizing and teaching courses suggests that faculty perceptions of educational purposes, subject matter structure and importance, and expectations for student learning are major determinants of educational success. Despite diversity and local autonomy present in its system, American…

A balanced triad among students, teachers, and curriculum, with each consisting of three equally supportive components, is shown to be the most important foundation for learning. Teacher components are self-esteem, superiors, autonomy; student components are peers, parents, motivation; curriculum components are design, materials, pedagogy. (MH)

Interviews and observations of a first-grade mathematics class to determine the influence of Proposition 227 on limited-English-speaking students found that many initial fears about Proposition 227 were unfounded; student ability to cope was underestimated; teacher knowledge of Spanish and Latino culture was critical; and students' limited English…

This document contains texts for two resolutions adopted by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in July 1998 regarding Beginning Reading Instruction and in July 2006, regarding Adolescent Literacy. A Question & Answer section follows the resolutions, addressing the following issues: (1) Reasons for focus on reading; (2) Differing views on…

Over 100 interviews with teachers and administrators provide the base for this analysis of teacher empowerment in several highly decentralized school districts. Examined are (1) how teachers respond to opportunities for influence; (2) how such opportunities affect teaching; and (3) how opportunities affect teachers' work lives and sense of…

Describes and illustrates the interaction between personal, policy, and organizational factors that influence teachers' decisions regarding content and teaching methods. Specifically questions how this information might be used in determining the efficacy of educational reforms. Includes verbatim comments from teachers and a sample of interview…

This volume offers a comprehensive account of autonomy in language learning and the educational practices associated with the concept. The book is divided into 18 chapters: "The History of Autonomy in Language Learning"; "Autonomy beyond the Field of Language Education"; "Defining and Describing Autonomy"; Control as a Natural Attribute of…

The following case study (Stake, 2000) explores the collective properties of the group of leaders working together to enact instructional change in an urban high school (Spillane, et al., 2001). It documents how an urban public high continues to work toward developing and enacting a model of leadership that is transformational, distributed, and…

An examination of the ways in which teachers gain and use knowledge about their work is presented through a case study using retrospective interviews with a high school English teacher in Canada. The teacher's "practical knowledge" was explored in a series of open-ended discussions, dealing with the teacher's involvement in the development of an…

Maintains that time and money are significant variables affecting the way art is taught. Reports on a survey of elementary art teachers. Finds that the teachers perceive themselves to be undervalued, have little planning time, and are provided with limited budgets to achieve educational objectives. (CFR)

A philosophy of education course focused on concepts of democratic education was taught to primary and secondary school teachers working in a private bilingual school in San Salvador (El Salvador). The teachers' school was an "International School" serving children of the wealthy and the educated who lived nearby. The course was designed…

This article is aimed at educators who find themselves facing the need to develop their e-teaching skills, with little or no formal training or institutional support. It explores how this can be achieved using the notion of "teacher autonomy" in combination with standard professional development measures for language teachers. The…