ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book examines the ogre that threatens all beginning teachers: the problem of control of students. It also examines the means of keeping control which are provided by schools and the legal limitations on types of punishment. The book examines the manner in which both teachers and students present themselves to each other. It discusses how such self-presentation is evaluated by either group and explores the consequences of such evaluations. The book focuses on how teachers evaluate their own performance is also a major theme: what is an effective teacher and how can one measure teacher effectiveness is shown to be a complex and important issue. It also explores the impact of social forces on classroom behaviour.
