Defines teaching as practical work carried out in a socially constructed, complex, and institutionalized setting and serving multiple purposes. Examines teaching practice in conjunction with school administrative structure and organizational policies. Discusses the nature and development of practical teaching theories, focusing on…

Argues that the role of the assistant principal may be dysfunctional as a training ground for secondary school principals because, as presently defined, it permits assistants to learn virtually nothing about management and improving instruction. Presents an outcome-based model for preparing the assistant for a principalship. (KH)

Harlow, one of Britain's New Towns, attracted numerous young families in its early years, prompting development of a large school system with good career advancement opportunities for young teachers. As the town's population aged, enrollment fell drastically, necessitating major school reorganization to meet significantly changed student and…

An emphasis on efficiency among public school superintendents did not emerge full-blown at the end of the nineteenth century, as Callahan argues, but was a basic tenet of earlier public school development and reform. This interest in providing economical and socially efficient institutions is crucial to understanding American education. (IS)

An introduction to the missing linkages between the fields of organizational behavior and higher education is provided. A discussion of why gaps persist and of alternative theoretical perspectives for organizing the application of behavioral science to higher education are included. (Author/MLW)

A review and synthesis of contemporary models of decision-making in organizations is presented. The match between preferred decision styles of faculty or academic managers and the structural and situational demands of the organization are considered. (Author/MLW)

Students learn much that is not publicly set forth in official school philosophy or in course syllabi. This learning, which includes information, beliefs, and ways of behaving, can be attributed to the implicit curricula of schooling. Discussed are the messages imparted by the classroom and school environment. (RM)

The role and responsibilities of the English headmaster are examined and compared to those of the American principal. Suggestions are offered for improving schools by giving principals more responsiblilty and leadership ability. (DF)

From the early 1960s there have been organized attempts in Sweden to carry on decentralized innovative work in education through local multiproject development schemes. Features of the schemes are described and analyzed. (RM)

Student dropout rates of 272 public secondary schools of different sizes and organizations are compared using analysis of variance. Results are interpreted to support the suggestion that a secondary school can reduce its dropout rate by keeping the total enrollment over 400 students and by including grades 7 through 12. (MJL)

For schools that are too large to give individualized attention to student problems, the house system's team approach to problem-solving responsibility may be the answer. One house organization plan is explained in detail here. (Editor)

Inequality of educational opportunity, as indicated by the effect of father's occupational status on years of schooling completed, is greater in France than in the U.S. the difference is accounted for by school structural variables, indicating the importance of structure for inequality of opportunity. (Author)

Procedures permit grouping departments on variables that provide an equitable basis for departmental funding. The series of steps is outlined whereby the financial significance of various process and role variables can be determined. (Editor/LBH)

This paper explores how high schools, through their structures and organizations, may influence their students' decisions about whether to stay in school until graduation or drop out. Traditional explanations for dropout behavior have focused on individual students' social background and academic behaviors. What high schools do to push out or hold…

The personalizing of the Language Arts instructional program at the Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware is discussed in terms of a) department organization, b) classroom organization, c) instructional materials, and d) special considerations related to individualizing instruction. (HMD)