In this article, William Ayers reflects on his teaching experiences starting in 1965 when he found that teaching, from his first day until the present, has been linked for him to the persistent longing for freedom, and the never-ending quest for justice. He describes the "Children's Community"--"an experiment in freedom and…

The author offers a brief critique of the cliches that rain down on beginning teachers as they struggle to find their ways in this most complex, slippery, and rewarding work and encourages a steady focus on the intellectual and ethical heart of teaching from the start. A sample of practical advice--little parachutes and safety nets--are put…

Teaching as an ethical enterprise is not presenting what is but moving toward what might be. Its fundamental message is that people can change their lives; teachers present possibilities and alternatives for doing so. (SK)

This article discusses Dewey's concept of progressive education and proposes the experientialist assumptions which characterize progressive education as a guide in the movement toward teacher professionalism. The knowledge base for teaching is briefly outlined, teacher professionalism is defined, and the relationship of teacher professionalism to…

In an essay-review of "Lucy Sprague Mitchell: The Making of a Modern Woman," four themes which are important to teachers today are discussed. These themes (teacher as educator, as autobiographer, as citizen, and as researcher) are discussed in their biographical, historical, and current contexts. (JL)