An overview is presented of research studies that reflect the realities that exist in elementary and secondary public education. Explorations of school culture cite behavioral and programmatic regularities that make up the school culture and the importance of school principals' roles. Focusing on the teachers and the ways things actually get done…

This study investigated the effects of school-level and individual-level factors influencing the participation and nonparticipation of secondary school teachers in continuing professional education (CPE). Researchers randomly selected 25 out of Hong Kong's 442 secondary schools to participate. All teachers in the schools were invited to complete a…

Presents the results of a survey where 200 midwest public-school band directors were asked to respond to a four-part questionnaire on factors contributing to their sense of job satisfaction and job stress. Strong positive interpersonal relationships among directors and students, parents, administrators, and other faculty contributed most to job…

During the past decade there have been considerable efforts to reform the American public school system. This survey, based on 15-minute telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,011 public school teachers in the United States, duplicates the sampling and interviewing process used in a similar study in 1984 and 1985. In…

The Educational Forces Inventory (EFI) charts the relative influence of 13 factors on teacher morale and classroom effectiveness. Ten general factors are: school principal; central office administrative personnel; other teachers in the school; parents; prescribed curriculum; testing programs; state legislation; physical facilities; community…

Rural schools in South Africa are often found on farms. These "farm schools" are usually erected by the farmer to educate the children of farm laborers. While officially public schools, farm schools are on private property and maintained through private funds. The history of farm schools is closely linked with the political history of…

This article explores the relationship between teachers perceptions of administrative practice in high schools and students perceptions of the school, teachers and their own performance. It was found that where decision making is perceived by teachers as collegial, collaborative, co-operative and consultative and providing adequate opportunities…

This study examines processes that personnel go through to assimilate the cultural norms of their schools. These processes are compared according to the teaching and learning environments of healthy, high achieving school districts and unhealthy, low achieving school districts. Specifically, this paper examines the "basket of crabs" effect, a…

This review summarizes the rapidly growing body of findings on the social and organizational environment of teaching and examines one innovation--the collaborative school--that offers promise of an organizational context more conducive to effective teaching. Chapter 1 characterizes the actual conditions under which teachers work, focusing on…

This annotated bibliography was prepared to serve as background material for the writing of the synthesis paper "From Isolation to Collaboration: Improving the Work Environment of Teaching." Items were selected to represent the range of issues that pertain to the social and organizational context of teaching. The selected materials…

Provides an overview of the issues and controversies concerning censorship in classrooms and libraries. Discusses a number of strategies for defusing and addressing censorship attempts and issues. These include involving parents and community, developing procedures for challenged materials, and utilizing censorship attempts to initiate lessons on…

Discusses differentiation in terms of the instructional program, school organization, staff development, and extensions beyond the classroom. Suggests learning activities with differing levels of cognitive challenge as vehicles for differentiated classrooms. Focuses curriculum on global citizenship and themes of identity, connections,…

Among the 12 publications reviewed in this annotated bibliography are a paper on how administrators can provide teacher support systems, the proceedings of a conference on creating conditions for effective teaching, an article on the methods principals can use to help teachers manage stress more effectively, a report of the results of a study of…

This study examined the costs and benefits of alternative high school programs for Alaskan village children. It attempted to determine what actually happens to village adolescents in different high school programs, why it happens, and what, if anything, can be done about it. Research methods studied the effects of 3 types of high school programs…

This publication, the fifth annual yearbook of the Association of Teacher Educators, examines four aspects of teacher education: context, process, curriculum, and communication. The volume is introduced by a Foreword (M. Ishler) and "Introduction: Educating Our Nation's Teachers" (D. J. McIntyre and D. M. Byrd). The remainder of the book…