This book's title, "I Used to Think... And Now I Think...", is borrowed from an exercise often used at the end of teacher professional development sessions, in which participants write down how what they've learned has changed their thinking. The resulting essays model the ongoing process of reflection and growth among those deeply committed to…

At its heart are the National Education Association's "Status of the American Public School Teacher" surveys, which are conducted every five years and offer unprecedented insights into the professional lives and experiences of teachers nationwide. This volume analyzes and summarizes the survey's findings, while also offering commentaries…

Seven chapters analyze the role of unions in teacher politics. Chapter 1 traces the political power of teachers and their unions. Chapters 2 and 3 focus on the power, policies, and politics of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Chapter 4 presents case studies to assess teacher power at the…

This book uses the testimony given before the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations to gain insight into the state of industrial relations and labor law in the United States. The book is organized in five chapters. The first chapter looks at the history of labor movements and labor legislation in the United States. Chapter 2…

The author forthrightly declares in this book of essays on school reform that teachers are no more saintly than anyone else, that poor schools should be closed and lousy teachers should be fired, that philanthropy may sometimes do more harm than good, that teaching experience is not essential to being a school principal, that schools should be…

This book discusses the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the nation's largest teacher unions. Chapter 1 introduces the book. Chapter 2 discusses the emergence of teacher unionization, especially since the 1960s. Chapter 3 explains the NEA/AFT political and social agendas and their main objectives.…

America's public schools face a demanding call for reform. This guidebook argues that public schools are failing and that the "education establishment" has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. The book provides guidelines for parents and citizens for making community-based changes or state reform of education. Section 1, "What Is…

Sixteen essays document the extent and variety of community resistance and struggle in Appalachia since 1960, and the origins and factors contributing to success or failure of particular efforts. They also relate the study of Appalachian dissent to issues informing scholarly discussions of dissent nationally. Of particular educational relevance…

In the late 1980s a new concept entered the educational lexicon in Australia--"award restructuring," or paid training leave for teachers. However, by 1993 the term had disappeared from public view. What began as a new politics of work developed into a complex debate about governance and leadership in Australian education. This book…

A collection of original essays about who will and should share in governing colleges and universities is presented. Five parts contain 15 chapters as follows: (1) The Context of Contemporary Campus Governance: "Academic Governance: An Evolutionary Perspective," (W. Metzger); (2) New Perspectives on Campus Governance: "Leadership and Followership:…

This book analyzes the unionization of elementary and secondary school teachers in a variety of nations. Following the acknowledgments, foreword by Charles T. Kerchner, and introduction, 16 articles are presented from different countries on international labor relations in education. Each chapter contains an overview and exploration of the…

An overview is provided of the history and current status of merit pay from the perspectives of faculty unions, community and junior colleges, and elementary and secondary schools. Chapter 1 stresses the need to raise the salaries of master teachers, and chapter 2 discusses the responses of faculty unions, faculty members, and the public to the…

The internal politics of colleges and the influence of a current emphasis on efficiency on the traditional independence of the academician are analyzed. It is suggested that the academician does not work in the same differentiated, and therefore interdependent, way as someone in industry or a bureaucracy. Academic activity is segmented, which…

As labor-saving, efficiency-increasing electronic technology is introduced into offices, jobs held by women will change. Although some jobs may be lost, most job loss will be absorbed by attrition and reduction of waste. Fewer new openings may occur in office jobs, however, especially in a recessionary economy. On the other hand, the jobs that are…

This book presents an assessment of collective bargaining in education. During the 1970's, while student enrollment declined, organizations representing public school teachers grew. Both the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers more than doubled their membership. Teacher contracts have expanded to include areas…