During their first few years of teaching, teachers go through a series of stages that comprise a psychological development of a professional self. Students, rather than colleagues or administrators, are the primary agents of teacher socialization, satisfaction, and motivation. (SK)

A three-year study using interviews and observations examined the meanings that teachers attributed to their interactions with parents. Theoretical ideas derived from the data are discussed. Implications for teacher educators are presented. (Author/MT)

If teachers perceive their principals as "closed"--inaccessible, unsupportive, and insecure--they are wary of efforts toward increased collaboration. With closed principals, teachers resort to micropolitical strategies, including avoidance, excessive rationality, ingratiation, confrontation, coalition-building, and deliberate noncompliance.…

Uses two intensive case studies of teachers to examine factors precipitating changes in teacher attitude and behavior over time. Data analysis indicates that two core processes--humanization process and rationalization process--produce shifts in work perspective. Discusses implications for teacher education. (SA)

Observation, in-depth structured and unstructured interviews, and open-ended questionnaires were used to determine what being a teacher means to 35 public school teachers. Results focus on teachers' skills and development related to instructional mastery, classroom control, and social relations with students. (JN)

Examines the political strategies used by 261 female and 105 male teachers from 99 urban, 144 rural, and 123 suburban areas when interacting with "closed"/"ineffective" principals. Teachers' reasons/purposes for using such strategies and teachers' opinions concerning the strategies' effectiveness were studied within the context…