Teaching: Making Sense of an Uncertain Craft

by Joseph P. McDonald

Book Overview

An analysis of teaching in which the author examines the classroom environment, the conceptual domains of research, the complex layers of public policy, and the language of educational discourse and polemic. He looks at what teachers do, how they learn, and how they cope.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807731676
• ISBN13: 9780807731673
• Release Date: June 1992
• Publisher: Teachers College Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding Read....

As I enter my MA program in Education, McDonald's book is "required" summer reading. I began this book with my usual mix of skepticism and frivolousness; being a teacher of English, I much prefer reading literature and educational texts more closely associated with my practice (i.e. Lisa Delpit, Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot, Gloria Ladson-Billings, etc.). I made it three pages before I realized how essential McDonald's primer is to all educators. Not only does he navigate the complexities of teaching with some ease, he validates the chaos surrounding our practice. I firmly believe that "reading teaching" is a crucial component of improving pedagogical practice. I was motivated to embrace McDonald's perspective; I am forming a "study group" at my school and renewing my commitment to "reading teaching." Whether you're a principal, teacher, school board member or motivated parent trying to make sense of what it means to teach and what it means to study teaching, I highly recommend McDonald's text.