Education Reform in the Twenty-First Century (eBook)

This book explores how, why, and with what consequences one no-excuses charter network marketizes teaching and learning, through the author's 1000 hours of covert participant observation at a network charter school. In her research, Brooks found that the 'AAG' (pseudonym) network re-conceptualized teaching by urging staff to envision their careers in corporate education rather than in classroom teaching. While some employees received a boost up the corporate ladder, others found themselves being pushed out of the organization. Despite AAG's equity-conscious discourse, administrators emphasized controlling student behavior as a central measure of teaching effectiveness. Brooks develops the concept of creative compliance to describe the most successful teachers' tactics for adhering to formal policies strategically, bending the rules in order to survive and advance in a workplace fraught with competition and insecurity.

Erinn Brooks is Assistant Professor of Sociology at St. Norbert College, USA. Her research examines the intersections of race, class, and gender inequality, emphasizing social justice in schools, workplaces, and nonprofit organizations. Her work has been published in Critical Education and Sociological Quarterly.