With this significant new work, Larry Cuban provides a unique and
insightful perspective on the bridging of the long-standing and
well-known gap between teachers and administrators. Drawing on the
literature of the field as well as personal experience, Cuban recognizes
the enduring structural relationship within school organizations
inherited by teachers, principals, and superintendents, and calls for a
renewal of their sense of common purpose regarding the role of schooling
in a democratic society.
Cuban analyzes the dominant images (moral and technical), roles
(instructional, managerial, and political), and contexts (classroom,
school, and district) within which teachers, principals, and
superintendents have worked over the last century. He concludes that
when these powerful images and roles are wedded to the structural
conditions in which schooling occurs, "managerial behavior" results,
thus narrowing the potential for more thoughtful, effective, and
appropriate leadership. Cuban then turns to consider this situation with
respect to the contemporary movement for school reform, identifying
significant concerns both for policymakers and practitioners.
This honest, thought-provoking book by a leading scholar, writer, and
practitioner in the field represents an invaluable resource--an
insightful introduction for those just entering the field and a fresh,
new perspective for those long-familiar with its complexities. Cuban's
ethnographic approach to the development of his own career and
viewpoint, as well as his highly readable style, make this a work of
lasting value.
