Teachers in U.S. Society Provenzo Chapter 5 “When things work well, few professions are more satisfying. When things go wrong, few jobs are more demanding.”

The numbers: 3.3 million public and private school teachers In public schools 73% were women

Their earnings: Average salary in : $41,820

Age and status Median age: female teachers: 36 male teachers: 38 73% are married

Their status: Licensing and certification is under the control of state legislatures. Considered public servants.

Guiding principles: NEA Code of Ethics Commitment to the Student Commitment to the Profession

Teaching as a Moral Craft Reflective approach toward problems Cultivation of imagination Playfulness toward words, relationships, and experiences” “An explicit concern for desirable ends”

The American Federation of Teachers “High standards of conduct and achievement do work. Nothing else can work without them.”

Teaching in the United States: Historical Development In Boston, private teachers were instructing children as early as 1630.

What’s in a name? In colonial times teachers were known as: master, school dame, tutor governess Differences in how teachers were and are perceived is often based on what they are called.

Feminization Before the 1850’s, teaching mainly a male profession. By 1930 five times as many women as men were teaching.

Feminization and history During the 1800’s, women hired more often than men because could be paid less Teaching viewed as nurturing task. Elementary teachers: two-year training program at the high school level. Not until well into 1900’s that schools required teachers to have a college degree.

Feminization and patriarchy “The domination of the profession by women has undoubtedly affected the public’s perception of teaching making it less valued than professions dominated by men.”

Tenure: The right to hold one’s job Awarded after a two- to five-year probationary period. Under a tenure system, dismissed only for inefficiency or incompetence gross insubordination more misconduct a major physical disability that seriously interferes with their ability to do their work or elimination of the position held by the teacher as a result of a cause such as financial emergency

The Typical U.S. Teacher “She is a woman more often than a man. white. 42 years old. taught for twelve years. has a master’s degree. does not switch jobs very often. teaches 23 students. member of the Democratic Party. teaches in a suburban setting. puts forty-six hours per week compared to thirty-five hours per week for nonagricultural workers.”

“In recent years... Teaching has become increasingly complex and difficult. Postmodern pressures reflected in changes in traditional family structures, work patterns, and new and emerging technologies make the job of being a teacher a particularly challenging task.”

“When things work well, few professions are more satisfying. When things go wrong, few jobs are more demanding.”

Public school teachers earn between 25 to 119 percent more than private school teachers earn.

Perennial issues in education: Should a teacher be allowed to support an unpopular viewpoint? Should a teacher be allowed to publicly criticize the school and still expect to keep her job?

Teachers are a Social Force Many restrictions placed on teachers, both in the past and in our own era, are a result of recognizing that teachers are agents of socialization. Education is far from a neutral process.”