What Research Tells the Principal about Teacher Empowerment.

Autor/in	Irwin, Claire C.
Titel	What Research Tells the Principal about Teacher Empowerment.
Quelle	(1990), (16 Seiten)Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Educational Environment; Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Principals; Research Needs; School Based Management; Teacher Administrator Relationship + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lernumgebung; Pädagogische Umwelt; Schulumwelt; Teaching improvement; Unterrichtsentwicklung; Principal; Schulleiter; Forschungsbedarf
Abstract	One popular trend in the American school reform movement is the notion of school and teacher empowerment. This paper sketches various definitions of teacher empowerment and associated terms, presents key issues, identifies certain strengths and weaknesses, encapsulates recent evaluation and research efforts, and lists traditional and newer methodologies used in teacher empowerment assessment. Recent research has demonstrated that what happens in the individual school determines the quality of student learning. Many school districts are decentralizing decision-making so that greater authority and responsibility are placed directly in the individual school. Although the term "teacher empowerment" may be new, experiments in giving teachers responsible local autonomy have occurred in Detroit, Michigan; Dade County, Florida; San Diego, California; Louisville, Kentucky; Richmond County, Georgia; and others. Recurring teacher empowerment themes in the literature include teacher centers or institutes, collaboration, linkages, ownership, collegiality, mentoring, isolation, and context. Strengths of teacher empowerment include recognition and nurturance of teachers as true professionals, improved teacher-administrator relationships, and principals' freedom to engage in more teacher consultation and outside agency collaboration. Weaknesses include principals' fear of losing power, conflict with labor contracts, lack of time and money, conflicts with accountability goals, and teacher complacency. One of the greatest weaknesses is the lack of substantive research linking student achievement to teacher empowerment. (27 references) (MLH)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC