Professor's book lands on "Choice" magazine's list of outstanding titles

Published

A book written by Dr. Robert Slater, a professor of education at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, has been included among Choice magazine’s list of Outstanding Academic Titles.

Choice, which is published by the Association of College and Research Libraries, reviews academic books. The magazine’s Outstanding Titles list was released recently, and reflects books it reviewed in 2014.

Slater’s book is titled “The Values of American Teachers: How Teachers' Values Help Stabilize Unsteady Democracy.” Head shot of Dr. Robert SlaterRowman and Littlefield Education published it in 2013.

The book delves into the subject of federal- and state-led education reform efforts that led to teachers being evaluated on their ability to increase students’ standardized test scores. Slater argues that while significant, such assessments aren’t the only or the most important indicator by which teachers should be judged.

The author writes that while “teachers may add value when they enable students to increase their performance on standardized tests…(a)n equally if not more important value added is their contribution to the stabilization of unsteady democracy.”

Teachers, according to Slater, “help steady modern democracy by teaching children the limits of liberty and by cultivating the social virtues…upon which civil society depends.”

Learn more about “The Values of American Teachers” or Choice magazine’s outstanding titles list.