The empowerment of teachers : overcoming the crisis of confidence /

Maeroff, a free-lance educational journalist formerly with The New York Times, has written a timely and important book dealing with teacher efficacy. He describes the current lonely and frustrating work world of the public school teacher and the forces that appear to lead the teacher to a feeling of helplessness. Maeroff describes the large volume of administrative work and paperwork required of a teacher, the effects of teaching children and youth all day with little or no chance to interact with other professionals, and the burden of excessive work at home in planning and correcting students' work. These practices lead to low morale and a lessening of a sense of efficacy, the feeling that a teacher can make a difference. Maeroff then describes some recently created programs wherein teachers are provided time and resources away from school to work with other professionals in creating humanities projects and curriculum for their individual classrooms and schools. The effects on teachers are measured in increased teacher vitality and better attitudes toward their students and their teaching. Although the programs described are supported from funds generated from private foundations, they do provide a protocol that school officials might find workable and that will provide teachers with the "empowerment" to continue to grow and gain efficacy in their chosen professions. Recommended for graduate students and faculty as well as school administrators and members of boards of education. -A. M. Kilgore, University of Nebraska--Lincoln