School reform has taken many shapes over the years. Among the most pervasive of school-reform theories is school-based management (SBM), which is examined in detail in this book. The introductory chapter locates the current round of SBM in the longer cycle of educational reform, describes the extent of SBM activity over the past decade in the…

Issues of governance pervade the teacher education field due to the diverse agendas which influence the function of teacher education programs at the institutional level. The purpose of this article is to explore the philosophy and processes of governance. In order to clarify philosophical issues, the following questions are addressed: (1) Are…

Academic freedom may be defined as the right to do that which a faculty member finds appropriate to scholarly inquiry and instruction, so long as it is not legally proscribed, does not constitute an explicit violation of institutional policy or a prior agreement to perform designated responsibilities and observe specified standards of conduct, and…

In this discussion of teacher empowerment, areas related to teacher sense of impact or efficacy are examined. These areas include: (1) administrative support; (2) responsibility for meaningful tasks; (3) control/decision making related to curriculum; (4) decisions on teaching assignments; (5) input on policies and procedures; and (6) choice in and…

This discussion of educational reform and school improvement is divided into three areas. Barriers to reform are considered in the first section, with a particular focus on the role of teacher unions in blocking many proposed reforms, e.g., career ladders, and the intrusion of politics into educational reform movements. It is pointed out that the…

An analysis of principals' beliefs and behaviors with regard to instructional supervision in the context of Meyer and Rowan's (1977, 1978) concept of the "logic of confidence" is presented in this report. Methodology involved interviews with and observations of 6 administrators and triangulating interviews with 12 teachers. Nine distinct…

Contemporary controversy about the proper mix of autonomy and obligation in teaching reveals contention concerning the role of teachers as professionals. At the classroom level, this controversy revolves around the individual teachers' translation of prescribed curricular policy into the operational curriculum of the classroom. An exploratory case…

Vocational rehabilitation agency program audits and reviews have revealed problems such as provision of insubstantial services to clients, poor case documentation, large numbers of clients not gainfully employed, and provision of services to ineligible clients. The problems have remained in spite of remediation strategies based on additional…

Instructional leadership literature presents two contrasting themes: (1) the school as a loosely coupled system allowing teachers considerable instructional autonomy; and (2) the school as a culture where the effective principal uses symbolic leadership to unite the staff in a common effort to achieve the school's mission. If both themes are…

As teacher educators have worked to encourage teachers to become more reflective, they have noted the important role school context plays in supporting or constraining reflection in action. This study describes one kindergarten teacher's experiences in two contrasting school contexts. The study documents the characteristics of leadership style and…

This essay defines autonomy as the responsible self-direction of teachers engaged in planning and carrying out instruction in the schools in which they teach, particularly in their own classrooms. This 'professional' definition excludes the influence of teachers on district- or state-level policies, regulations, guidelines, or plans. The essay…

Examines Israeli teacher autonomy in a centrally developed high school curriculum. Describes how teachers view this shift of control and the 50 percent assessment-by-teacher system. Concludes teacher autonomy is not necessarily dependent on the system being noncentralist and that guided freedom increases teacher power and potential effectiveness.…

Part of the acceptance speech of the 1985 National Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year, this article describes the censorship experience of this honored social studies teacher. The incident involved the showing of a videotape version of the feature film entitled "The Seduction of Joe Tynan." (JDH)

Contends that individual teachers have ultimate control over what content is taught in their classrooms. Reports a study of the factors which influenced the curriculum decision-making of 18 elementary teachers. (BSR)

Explores "second-wave" reform efforts aimed at restructuring schools and reshaping teacher roles to permit greater autonomy, responsibility, and status. As better working conditions increase teacher satisfaction, education will compete more favorably with other professions as a career choice. Includes 16 references. (MLH)