Managers as Teachers A Practitioners Guide to Teaching Public Administration–an International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Publication

Stephen G. Harding–Chair/Co-Editor/Contributor–3rd Edition

“Go Teach a Course.” This is just one title of the many different links on ICMA’s home page relevant to teaching. The volume of ICMA’s references to academia and the directness of these four words are telling. There is significant interest in teaching among the membership. Whether you are a seasoned in-service local government professional or one seeking an “encore” in the next phase of life, the opportunity to teach the next generation of local government leaders remains a rewarding way to continue to contribute to your community and your profession. Yet even the most motivated local government official may not be fully aware of the ins and outs of moving from the dais to the lectern. For those still in service, it involves finding the balance between one’s primary profession while simultaneously operating in another. For those post-service professionals, it may mean adjusting to an entirely new role. In either event, it is an incremental journey that is more easily traveled with a manual and a roadmap. Fortunately, Managers as Teachers: A Practitioners Guide to Teaching Public Administration has filled this role for more than sixteen years. It has served as the primary source of information for local government practitioners interested not only in explaining what it takes to get into the classroom but also in depicting what it is like once you get there. What’s new in this edition? As prefaced in its 2000 revision, this guide “is not a reference source to the literature on effective teaching. It is, rather, a place to start preparing to teach.” In continuance of this theme, this edition does not focus on the nuances of effective teaching either. However, it does provide a new compendium on educational resources and tools. From its inception through the publication of the second edition in 2007, this guide is as relevant today as it was originally. With the exception of minor edits, the third edition consists primarily of additives to existing sections, some out-and-out new additions, and no major deletions. Using boxed sidebars, this edition incorporates expanded substantive information without disrupting the cadence of the narrative. With the addition of the appendices, the use of sidebars, and an updated format, this guide should serve as an easy-to-use ready reference for those practitioners interested in teaching.

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/308614/Managers_as_Teachers