A Socially Critical View Of The Self-Managing School

by Smyth,John; Smyth,John

• ISBN13: 9780750702133
• ISBN10: 0750702133
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1993-07-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The shift from the model of central government educational control to school- based management has been widely adopted and acclaimed and has created the general impression of increased democracy and participation.; The international contributors to this book tackle this important policy issue and look behind the scenes of the moves towards school self- management. They investigate the phenomenon of the self-managing school, Why It Is Happening Now, What Is The Truth Behind This Notion And The problems which lie behind devolution and self-management.; The self- managing school, it is claimed is not about "grassroots democracy" or "parent participation" but absolutely the reverse and this contradiction is best understood in terms of the ideology of the New Right. Enlightened and informed perspectives of the reality behind school self-management suggest that the devolution of power is only superficial. Hierarchies continue to exist as unequally funded schools which perpetuate class, gender and ethnic divisions. The mechanism involved promotes the Survivial Of The Fittest Through Notions Of Choice.; For Those Involved in school management and education generally, this book should provide a useful insight into the struggle surrounding the control of schooling.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Democratic Participation or Efficient Site Management: The Social and Political Location of the Self-Managing School	p. 11
The New Right and the Self-Managing School	p. 35
Paradigm Shifts and Site-based Management in the United States: Toward a Paradigm of Social Empowerment	p. 49
Culture, Cost and Control: Self-Management and Entrepreneurial Schooling in England and Wales	p. 63
Reinventing Square Wheels: Planning for Schools to Ignore Realities	p. 83
The Evaluative State and Self-Management in Education: Cause for Reflection?	p. 99
The Politics of Devolution, Self-Management and Post-Fordism in Schools	p. 117
Pushing Crisis and Stress down the Line: The Self-Managing School	p. 137
Managerialism, Market Liberalism and the Move to Self-Managing Schools in New Zealand	p. 153
Teaching Cultures and School-based Management: Towards a Collaborative Reconstruction	p. 171
'And Your Corporate Manager Will Set You Free ...': Devolution in South Australian Education	p. 191
Managerialism and Market Forces in Vocational Education: 'Balkanizing' Education in the 'Banana Republic'	p. 213
Self-Managing Schools, Choice and Equity	p. 229
Notes on Contributors	p. 245
Index	p. 247
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