Using richly textured case studies of two very different schools, Betty Achinstein shows when teachers enact reforms in the name of community, what often emerges is conflict. Whether dealing with issues of teacher collaboration or how to meet the needs of a diverse student population, conflicts within professional communities reflect important differences of beliefs and practices. This book reframes conflict as constructive in building educational communities that learn and promote democratic values in schools.
Betty Achinstein is Program Director of Teacher Development and Research at The New Teacher Center at the University of California, Santa Cruz.