Explores images of schoolteachers from beginning of 20th century to the present. Raises questions about what it means to be a teacher; what influences/sustains people's beliefs about teachers; & the social-political context that shapes images of teachers

This book explores images of schoolteachers in America from the beginning of the 20th century to the present, using a wide range of approaches to scholarship and writing. It is intended for both experienced and aspiring teachers to use as a springboard for discussion and reflection about the teaching profession and for contemplating these questions: What does it mean to be a teacher? What has influenced and sustained our beliefs about teachers? New in the second edition * The focus is shifted to the teaching profession as the 21st century unfolds. * The volume continues to explore teacher images through various genres--oral history, narrative, literature, and popular culture. In the second edition, the authors place more emphasis on the social-political context that has shaped teachers' daily experiences and the teaching profession itself. In the study of teacher images and schooling, the essays draw from feminist research methods and the critical tradition in educational inquiry to probe issues of power and authority, race, social class, and gender. * The emphasis is on the multidimensionality of teacher images rather than normative characterizations. * Six totally new chapters have been written for this new edition: an "invented interview" spanning 100 years of school teaching; portraits of progressive activist teachers; an exploration of teachers in fiction for young adults; a retrospective of the satirical cartoon show, The Simpsons; a study of crusading and caring teachers in films; and an overview of progressive classroom practices in "the new millennium." Seven chapters have been thoroughly revised to reflect current scholarship and the authors' evolving knowledge and interests.

"I recommend this book to all teachers, new and old...the book as a whole is thought provoking and well equipped to fulfill its ultimate aim of stimulating discussion among experienced and aspiring teachers."
—Contemporary Psychology

"This book is well grounded in literature that could be useful to educational scholars, and it would certainly be beneficial reading for prospective, beginning, and veteran teachers."
—Peabody Journal of Education

"Interesting and, at times, provocative. This collection of essays both reaffirms and challenges the ways we think about teaching and teachers."
—Patricia A. Cantor
Plymouth State College

"...an interesting and captivating read!....The teachers interviewed and portrayed offered a wealth of reflection, experience, insight and hope for the future. As a classroom teacher, I was able to make connections with the history of American education with my current practice. I would recommend this book to all educators!"
—M.L. Grant
State College, PA