Identifies differences between primary school teachers in England and France in the areas of conceptions of accountability, teacher role in relation to parents, and the nature of teaching. Proposes six broad themes based on teachers' perceptions of their work: collectivism/individualism, universalism/particularism, role…

Uses France and England--because of their radically different institutional and ideological traditions in education--to illustrate common trends in educational accountability. Explains general trends affecting advanced capitalist societies at the present time, e.g., the use of corporate management approaches in education and the adoption of…

Compares the beliefs, goals, and teaching methods of French and English elementary school teachers working in areas of disadvantage to illuminate how teachers in the two countries resolve the dilemmas involved in providing equal educational opportunities to all children. Research before and after recent educational reforms indicates the central…