ABSTRACT
One of the recurring questions about standards-based reform is how to encourage teachers to adopt the practices that such reform suggests. One prominent view is that educational systems are so disjointed and loosely coupled that what teachers do depends heavily on their own beliefs and preferences (Richardson, Anders, Tidwell, & Lloyd, 1991; Weick, 1976). Another view, suggested by Michael Fullan (1991), is that ultimately, change depends on what teachers do and think, but that they are amenable to a mix of pressures and supports. As he said, “Successful change projects always include elements of both pressure and support. Pressure without support leads to resistance and alienation; support without pressure leads to drift or waste of resources” (p. 91). Theories of reform differ, however, in their emphasis on pressures and supports. Advocates of accountability see the problem of reform as a lack of motivation, particularly on the part of teachers. They argue for creating incentives linked to test scores that encourage teachers to reform their practice. Others argue that teachers want to do the best they can but need supports that help them to learn to use new practices in meaningful and effective ways.
