Upon its initial publication, many reviewers dubbed Dan C. Lortie's Schoolteacher the best social portrait of the profession since Willard Waller's classic The Sociology of Teaching. This new printing of Lortie's classic-including a new preface bringing the author's observations up to date-is an essential view into the world and culture of a vitally important profession.
"It is a rare experience to read a book that is at once so comprehensive, so inclsive, and so compelling.... [A] classic.... It is 'must' reading for anyone even remotely associated with teaching." - Egon G. Guba, Educational Administration Quarterly; "[S]ome of the most trenchant, unique, and helpful research ever done on the profession of teaching and the dynamics of the school as an organization.... A thorough digestion of the text should give readers countless insights and understandings about the behavior of teachers and the ways in which teachers respond to proposals for change." - Robert L. Larson, Teachers College Record; "Lortie shows an unusual understanding of the patterns of practice and belief that distinguish teachers from other workers.... [A] perceptive study of the thoughts, aspirations, and frustrations of teachers everywhere." - Helen D. Wise, NEA Journal