Perspective of Schools as Workplaces

• What is meant by the saying "the school is a social system"? A community?
• How do culture, history, and ethos define many important functions and characteristics of a school?
• What features of schools make them different from other formal organizations?
• What norms tend to exist in schools that beginning teachers should anticipate?
• What aspects of a teacher's role are clear? Which tend to be more complex and contradictory?

Theoretical and Empirical Support

• How does a teacher's typical workday differ from that perceived by the general public?
• What types of work do teachers do in addition to direct instruction of students? What percentage of their time is spent outside of the classroom?
• What overall findings have been demonstrated by school effectiveness research?
• How do studies conducted by Rutter, Lee, Smith, and others illustrate the importance of a cohesive school culture and collaborative action on the part of teachers?

Organizational Skills for Teachers

• What actions can beginning teachers take to facilitate positive working relationships with their colleagues?
• What actions can beginning teachers take to facilitate positive working relationships with their principals?
• What are some common parent-teacher interactions? What can a teacher do to promote optimal relationships?
• Why do schools need to improve? What actions can beginning teachers take to provide leadership for improvement?