Transforming Teachers<U+0080>́<U+0099> Work Globally In Search of a Better Way for Schools and Their Communities

This volume is a collection of studies examining the key role of the teacher in the process of school change when innovative pedagogical practices and better ways to develop the school are being sought. Teachers' work in a changing school culture is a central source of strength in establishing the new practices in ordinary school life. Teachers are generally understood to be crucial for successful change in the school, for the long-term development of their professionalism, and for the advancement of the school's socio-cultural processes. The aim of this book is to outline the complex character of teachers' work in schools and their communities. Teachers' work is observed here in the light of research presenting innovative approaches and reforms. This book is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on contexts for transformation in teachers' work, the second on an examination of case studies documenting the changing nature of teachers' work, and the third on comparison of the trends and issues previously presented. The chapters in this volume discuss prospects of teachers' work in the United States and Europe, as well as in China, India, and Japan. Cover photographs by Raimo Nevalainen This volume is a collection of studies examining the key role of the teacher in the process of school change when innovative pedagogical practices and better ways to develop the school are being sought. Teachers' work in a changing school culture is a central source of strength in establishing the new practices in ordinary school life. Teachers are generally understood to be crucial for successful change in the school, for the long-term development of their professionalism, and for the advancement of the school's socio-cultural processes. The aim of this book is to outline the complex character of teachers' work in schools and their communities. Teachers' work is observed here in the light of research presenting innovative approaches and reforms. This book is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on contexts for transformation in teachers' work, the second on an examination of case studies documenting the changing nature of teachers' work, and the third on comparison of the trends and issues previously presented. The chapters in this volume discuss prospects of teachers' work in the United States and Europe, as well as in China, India, and Japan.--Publisher description Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Supporting Teachers’ Work....Pages 3-34 Extending Teachers’ Work to Outdoor Learning Environments....Pages 35-53 Changing Aims and Values of Outdoor-Oriented Education....Pages 55-79 Professional Orientations and Competences of Teachers in a School and Community Context....Pages 81-108 Front Matter....Pages 109-109 The Teacher as an Implementer of Curriculum Change....Pages 111-147 Teacher Perspectives on Reform in a Small, Rural American School of Historically Finnish Culture....Pages 149-173 The Challenges of Basic Education Curriculum Change in Rural Primary Schools in West China....Pages 175-198 Front Matter....Pages 199-199 Philosophical Perspectives for Teachers’ Work....Pages 201-227 Teacher Competences in a Changing School Culture....Pages 229-259 The Reform and Development of Teacher Education in China and Japan in an Era of Social Change....Pages 261-301 Teachers’ Work and Changing Socialization Environments....Pages 303-338 Understanding the Educational Change Process and Teachers’ Work....Pages 339-344 Back Matter....Pages 345-364 As societies change, so do the needs of students in their education systems. This volume argues that the core professional responsibility of today’s teacher is to create learning environments in which teaching and learning are linked to real-life situations.