This paper discusses some of the issues behind the current debate on merit pay for teachers. A brief history is presented of performance-based compensation systems. The difficulties in arriving at a consensus on a valid definition of merit pay are pointed out, and examples are presented of various merit plans, such as master teaching plans, career…

The relationship between the current collective bargaining movement in higher education and faculty alienation was studied by determining whether professional and work conditions were related to alienation and whether faculty alienation affected opinions concerning collective bargaining. Of 401 mailed questionnaires, 187 usable responses were…

Educators should know the components of the school situation before they enter the profession. To establish a work setting conducive to professional development, the educator must work within the community, the school district organization, the school itself, the teaching program, and professional development activities. These components should…

In this series of aphoristic remarks about the situation of English teachers in the junior college, the following topics are discussed: administrative structure and accountability; teacher load; part time instructors and professionalism; Proposition 13; literacy and junior college students; evaluation of student papers; careerism in teachers and…

THE USES OF TEACHER POWER IN INFLUENCING THE WORK CONDITIONS, REWARDS, AND ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS ARE DISCUSSED. THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, AND APPROPRIATE USES OF VARIOUS TACTICS FOR THE EXERCISE OF THIS POWER ARE DESCRIBED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO SANCTIONS, STRIKES, INJUNCTIONS, AND MASS RESIGNATIONS. PICKETING, SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS,…

THIS STUDY OF THE ILLINOIS STATE-WIDE CURRICULUM STUDY CENTER IN THE PREPARATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS (ISCPET) WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH IN GRADES 10, 11, AND 12 OF ILLINOIS SCHOOLS. IN THE SUMMER OF 1965, 500 QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO MEMBERS OF THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS…

This study evaluated the impact of length of training in the Life Skills Training (LST) program on teachers' perception of the work climate and sense of self-efficacy, identifying process components affecting those outcomes. The LST program is a psychoeducational model of group intervention designed to improve the well-being of children and…

A study was conducted to identify why secondary career and technical education (CTE) teachers, especially in Minnesota, remain in or leave the teaching profession. Research recently reported that nearly 22 percent of all teachers leave the teaching profession within the first three years of teaching. The population for this study was the 258…

Outlines the history of private education in tsarist Russia. Follows its development from a smattering of tutors for children of the elite to the establishment of boarding schools and subsequent government inspectors. Discusses the contrasting educational philosophies and personalities involved in these institutions. (MJP)

A study surveyed 19 student teachers placed in rural Saskatchewan communities and their cooperating teachers. Advantages of rural placements were better acquaintance with students and families, high community involvement, supportive atmosphere, opportunities to engage in various activities, fewer discipline problems, and rural lifestyle.…

Studied the role of textbooks in elementary education. Found that the influence of textbooks on teachers' thinking and on classroom instruction was somewhat less than the literature indicates. Patterns of textbook use were not consistent across academic subjects. Conditions of elementary education encourage selective and variable textbook use. (BB)

The effects of educational reform policies in Texas were studied as they relate to teacher burnout. A survey was mailed to 3,000 teachers. In all, 700 teachers responded, and interviews were conducted with about 120 of them. Teachers experienced considerable emotional exhaustion, and the effects of paperwork were significant. (SLD)

Paints a discouraging picture of the teaching conditions in higher education in the Ukraine. Salaries are about one-quarter of their previous levels, and often are not paid for months at a time, workers in science and education rank forty-fifth out of forty-eight pay categories, and publishing opportunities have declined. (MJP)

Parents' nostalgia and waning confidence in teachers' competence are primary obstacles to improving schools. Teaching and public education are at a crossroads. One road involves teachers and parent partners in a broad social movement that ultimately protects and redefines teacher professionalism. The other leads to deprofessionalization of…

This article reports perceptions of a first-year teacher of students with learning disabilities. First-year challenges are described, as well as views on assessment, accountability, and inclusion. Recommendations are made for new teachers and steps that teacher educators, school administrators, and experienced teachers can take to ensure the…