In November 1990, 25 community colleges participated in a study of variables known to have a significant influence on the professional self-esteem of faculty and which in turn should affect the quality of the teaching and learning environment. Questionnaires were distributed to all full-time faculty members (N=2,162) and chief executive officers…

Secondary school teachers can present the process of writing compositions simply and effectively by adopting three tools: the positive approach, the easy three-step analysis process, and the brainstorm outline. Using the positive approach, teachers first convince students that writing effectively is important to them--it gives them the power to…

Adversarial collective bargaining often leads to lingering resentments. Collaborative bargaining, conversely, is a problem-solving approach to contract negotiations based on common interests and mutual respect. Recognizing the interrelationship between trust at schools and trust at the bargaining table, a growing number of school districts are…

Drawing from 18 years of experience as an adjunct professor at a community college and 3 years as a non-tenured full-time faculty member, the President of the Faculty Senate of Valencia Community College (VCC) offers a number of personal observations on the ways in which adjunct faculty and faculty senates can address the problems encountered by…

In 1982 the "Recht decision," in Pauley v. Bailey, found school financing in West Virginia to be inequitable and prescribed quality standards for every aspect of public education. This report examines teachers' responses to resulting school reform efforts. In-depth interviews were conducted with over 200 selected teachers and…

This document reports on the second of a projected series of conferences, for University of Georgia faculty, having the theme of "faculty renewal" (rather than the older "faculty development") as the major focus. Following a brief introduction, the proceedings open with the keynote speech, "Meeting the Challenge of…

The importance of appropriate compensation and employment security for college faculty is discussed, in light of the declining purchasing power and wages for teachers and the erosion of benefits and pension prospects. From 1970 to 1985, the national average faculty salary, adjusted for inflation, fell 15.1%. Regardless of personal commitments and…

Class size is a complex problem that depends on many factors. The central theme which runs through the current research literature is that academic achievement does not necessarily improve with the reduction of student/teacher ratio unless appropriate learning styles and effective teaching styles are utilized. It is also evident that no single…

This 1985 Educator Opinion Poll was designed to obtain accurate data on the status, experience, and range of views held by public school teachers. The status and experience questions covered such topics as current class size, number of years of teaching experience, annual salary, eligibility for merit pay, education, professional affiliations, and…

The Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers (TECAT), is a basic literacy test that was administered to 202,000 practicing educators in March 1986. The test was developed in response to state action for educational reform. The Texas reform legislation provided for redistribution of resources to poorer schools and for salary…

During January 23-24, 1984, a North Central Association of Colleges and Schools evaluation team visited Colorado Technical College to conduct a comprehensive evaluation for continued accreditation at the bachelor's degree granting level. The accreditation was continued as a result, and it was recommended that a comprehensive evaluation be…

The teaching corps is undergoing a transformation as the teaching population ages. In the past, "burned-out" teachers could be transferred or could change professions. The economics of the 1980's leaves dissatisfied teachers with no alternative but to remain in teaching. This paper examines ways to help administrators and teachers cope with this…

The context for considering faculty career vitality is addressed. It is suggested that the unit of study should be individual, and that both internal and external influences should be considered. A contrasting view is that the institution should be the unit of study. A Pennsylvania State University study revealed that faculty career decisions were…

The situations and attitudes of a total of 15 teachers and former teachers were investigated as part of a followup study conducted four years after a study at the completion of the teachers' first year of teaching. Using many of the same questions as in "The First Year Teacher Study," interviews were conducted, and three survey instruments were…

Prospective teachers must face numerous pressures and difficulties during their training and subsequent negative factors in their lives as professionals. Among the conditions that exist for the prospective teacher, economic constraints play an important role. Pressures also exist during student teaching, when students must attempt to please both a…