Although teachers and administrators have been treated as subject matter for numerous major reports on American education, seldom have they been asked to analyze their own situation and to propose their own solutions. This report presents the observations and recommendations of the Select Seminar on Teacher Evaluation comprised of 9 master…

The classroom teacher often does not receive necessary positive reinforcement, which tends to lead to low self-esteem. Tips for helping the teacher become more self-aware and more self-confident are offered. (DF)

Based on experience teaching media studies in two maximum security institutions in the Midwest, the author describes difficulties teaching in the restrictive environment of prison and ways the challenge can be met. (PD)

This paper discusses ways that teachers can better manage their time and succeed in ther instructional goals. Ways to prevent five major types of compulsive time behavior are addressed. The behavior roles include: (1) "hurry up" role; (2) "be perfect" role; (3) "please me" role; (4) "try hard" role; and (5) "be strong" role. Emphasis is placed on…

Raising professional standards and improving teacher preparation programs will have little effect unless teaching becomes a more attractive career. Local administrators should involve faculty members effectively and satisfactorily in the decision-making and management process so that teachers don't need to enlist collective bargaining to force…

Urges language arts teachers to consider and follow the statements on teacher workload issued by the National Council of Teachers of English. Suggests ways in which individual teachers can improve their profession. (JT)

This paper illuminates the tensions between the rhetoric and presumed rewards of an expanded conception of teachers' work and the work demands and strains introduced by such a conception. Based on data collected in the United States, this paper draws on multi-day, 24-hour time and task diaries recorded by case-study teachers, together with…

Responses to a poll revealed that teachers' most common professional problems were: too little time to accomplish objectives, too many nonprofessional duties, overcrowded classrooms, motivating students, lack of administrative support, lack of parental support, troubled children, and discipline. (JD)

Teacher stress and job dissatisfaction stem from societal, institutional, and personal factors. Each of these factors is discussed to help educators cope with the problems they face. (DF)

This essay explores the importance of the classroom environment on teaching and learning, and suggests a framework for conducting further research in the field. (LH)

Discusses three classroom climates that are often encountered in teaching about inequality and social stratification: resistance, paralysis, and rage. Describes resistance as denying the existence or importance of inequality. Defines paralysis as classes that see little chance of overcoming inequality. Suggests that the enraged class is unable to…

Forced teaching reassignment combined with curriculum implementation may have detrimental results. This negative effect is due mostly to the reassigned teachers' views of themselves. For instance, it is held that teachers are less motivated by the teaching act because their new work is unfamiliar; their damaged self-esteem makes curricular change…

Recent research offers strong evidence that reduced class size has positive effects on improved student achievement, teachers' work conditions, and the quality of the classroom environment. This report presents a brief historical perspective on the research into the effects of class size; summarizes studies that discuss the relationship between…

The California Mentor Teacher Program is one of many efforts to improve teacher supply and quality, provide professional support, and offer alternative motivators and reward systems. This paper explores teacher leadership issues offered by this program. Using data from a 1985 joint study of the mentor initiative (by California State Department of…

A Child Development Associate (CDA) training project director in north New Jersey initiated a practicum to create in-service training conditions and supervisory teacher attitudes that supported the teaching efforts of assistant teachers who were working toward CDA certification in a college-based program. Specific goals of the 3-month intervention…