The question of whether teaching is a profession, with all the status and responsibilities that entails, is not as settled as some believe. Emma García and Elaine Weiss look at the requirements and characteristics of a profession and examine data from teachers and find that teaching, as currently experienced by teachers, does not measure up to the…

Half of all teachers might be moonlighting, working at a part-time job in addition to their main job as teachers, and that has consequences for their teaching jobs. Moonlighting interferes with their daily instruction and with their ability to collaborate with other educators. Moonlighting also can contribute to a less positive attitude about…

After earlier plans fell out of favor, pay for performance plans are becoming more popular. Factors that make those plans more viable include new data systems and ways to measure performance, increased attention on the importance of effective teaching, the need for efficiencies in salary schedules during tough economic conditions, and a change in…

Although teacher unions promote private means of resolving labor conflicts instead of using public courts, they are engaged in a war on privatization, especially contracting out. It is surprising that the media and higher education take seriously the contention that unions do not negatively affect educational achievement. Advocates of "the…

A 1979 study of 200 randomly chosen teachers in grades K-12 in southeastern Michigan revealed that the teachers are less satisfied with the quality of their worklives, more fearful of losing their jobs, and more likely to experience problems with their jobs than are U.S. workers nationwide. (Author/WD)

Whining about not being treated as professionals buys teachers little respect. Teaching is hard work, but confers some plush benefits, while discouraging voluntary self-improvement efforts. The notion that pay should be commensurate with work is a noble delusion. Nannies and mothers are also underpaid. (MLH)

Teachers and the public agree on reasons for choosing a public school, but differ sharply concerning "B" ratings, school safety concerns, parental involvement, and pay-for-performance proposals. More teachers favor academics as schools' main emphasis and class-size reduction as the best use of federal funds. (MLH)

Argues for statewide collective bargaining on teacher salaries as a way of promoting equity among teachers. The factors opposing such a program are discussed. (IRT)