The Other Side of the Equation: Professional Development and the Organizational Capacity of Teacher Unions

Abstract

This article describes three different types of professional development provided by teachers organizations in the United States and Canada. Drawing from 10 years of conceptual and empirical research on teacher union reform activities, on teachers' perceptions of unions, and on teachers' union involvement, it identifies strategies for improving the fit between professional development and teachers occupational needs. The article emphasizes sociological and organizational factors germane to teachers organizations themselves: their role in teacher socialization, the demographics of teacher organization participation, and internal structural features. It suggests that teachers organizations should look within at a variety of organizational issues and consider a variety of organizational strategies simultaneously.