| Carolyn Riehl
University of Michigan
Scheduling time and talent: The impact of secondary school teachers' work assignments on their perceptions of efficacy and professional commitment
FINAL REPORT: In this paper, we examine the impact of secondary school organizational climates and teachers' specific work assignments on teachers' organizational commitment, characterized by a belief in the goals of the organization, a willingness to exert effort, and a desire to remain with the organization. Data are from the NCES 1987-88 Schools and Staffing Survey. Results suggest that teaching load and the distribution of student achievement within classes influence commitment. Administrative support has positive effects on shared mission and plans to remain in teaching. Teacher involvement in school-level policy decisions increases commitment, while control over classroom-level policies has mixed effects. The interactions between climate and task variables, along with some independent effects of teacher characterisitics and school demographics, are important determinants of commitment. In general, administrators and policy makers should attend to both workday schedules and school climate as they generate the conditions under which teachers will use their time and talents well.
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