The School Teacher in England and the United States

The School Teacher in England and the United States: The Findings of Empirical Research investigates what makes school teachers distinct from other people in England and the United States. This book brings together for the first time the findings of a very large number of surveys on both sides of the Atlantic designed to throw light on a number of critical questions, such as the teachers' family backgrounds, their motives for becoming teachers, or the types of role-conflict affecting teachers in general, and women teachers (including married women) in particular. This monograph is comprised of 10 chapters and begins by comparing the British and American educational settings. The next chapter discusses the role that society is believed to expect teachers to fulfill, such as emancipation from the child's primary emotional attachment to his family, or the technical component of the skills which have to be transmitted to the pupils to enable them to fulfill their future adult roles. The empirical evidence on society's view of what role the teachers should play is then analyzed. A typology of incompatibilities inherent in teacher role is also presented. The remaining chapters focus on the teachers' expressed motivation in career choice; the stages at which people choose teaching; teacher effectiveness and career satisfaction; and the teachers' professional status. The final chapter considers some policy alternatives for addressing the training and supply of teachers. This text will be a useful resource for teachers, school administrators, and educational policymakers.