This article examines the problem of maintaining an effective balance between the bureaucratic and professional models of school management in the context of teachers as constrained decision-makers. (TE)

Teachers should have the authority to teach as they think best in their own classrooms and be held accountable for academic results. Proposes teams of teachers who are responsible for teaching the same group of children for four years. Teams of primary teachers would work with children from ages 6 through 10, and teams of intermediate teachers…

The Family/School/Community Participation Project restructured Florida State University's affiliated K-12 school through three phases: (1) School as Family, preparing teachers and administrators to create a supportive school environment; (2) Family Outreach, involving the school in helping families with a supportive home environment; and (3)…

The Scottish 5-14 master educational narrative prescribes a rigid framework for curricular policies and planning. The ideological strands of 5-14 present education as a business, promote the maintenance of a common culture, and attack teacher professionalism. Argues that the program should be seen as a means of control over the practice and…

Proposes the resource teacher model as a solution to lack of motivation in middle-aged teachers. The role of the special education resource teacher provides intrinsic rewards such as autonomy, challenge, and variety which can renew motivation. A new role as resource teacher addresses the issues of midlife stagnation and allows for personal growth.…

Analyzes the controversy surrounding the 1985 Minnesota Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act (PEO). Although equity and feasibility concerns arose, a closer examination of the PEO debate's language and tactics reveals a more fundamental struggle over authority and a defense of professional control that is incompatible with school choice goals. (51…

Explores the various leadership models (structural-functional, open-systems, cultural-pluralism, interpersonal, and political) used to illuminate headteachers' work and considers the problems faced by leaders in professionally staffed organizations. School leadership activities center on managing organizational cultures and the external…

Summarizes school reform efforts in several urban districts, focusing on professional unionism and its superiority to traditional industrial unionism. These districts exemplify the art of school leadership, as administrators work through challenges to administrative authority, feelings of being excluded, and overloaded agendas. Teaming,…

Educational change is often accompanied by a blurring of traditional boundaries among various institutions and chief participants. At all levels, historical lines of authority and presumed centers of expertise are disappearing, thanks to redefined roles, redistributed decision-making responsibility, and new technologies. Transformative examples…

Analyzes teacher responses to changes in the structure and functioning of education and teacher education in England and Wales from 1876 to 1996. The paper identifies three generations of teachers and suggests broad patterns in terms of differential responses to change. At the core of the responses are accounts that teachers have constructed over…

Examines aspects of initial teacher education and continuing professional development in Scotland against the backdrop of McCrone Report recommendations on teaching conditions. Discusses teachers' attitudes toward their own professional development; the nature of professional knowledge, skills, and values; and some principles to promote genuine…

School boards are challenged to reconcile differences between test-dominated accountability and the growing backlash against standards and assessments. The answer: a comprehensive accountability system that does not ignore state demands for improved achievement as measured by test scores, but places them in context with classroom practices. (MLH)

This article describes the experiences of two US teacher groups and their lesson study work. Their stories illustrate some of the dynamics and promise of teacher change spurred by lesson study. The first case is primarily about teacher efficacy, as a group of teachers discover through lesson study that their planning and work can have an impact on…

In June 2003, shortly after the fall of the Baathist regime, and after the United States declared an end to major combat, Keith Watenpaugh, assistant professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern history at Le Moyne College and associate director of peace and global studies, re-turned to Baghdad and al-Mutanabbi Street as the leader of a group of …

In most discussions of "what works" in education, the focus is on rules (such as class size limits) or on programs and their various components. These are clearly important. No matter what the reform, implementation is key. This article discusses five challenges to achieving and sustaining social and intellectual engagement in implementing…