The term "best practice" is widely used throughout education despite lack of evidence or consensus concerning which practices are "best." The pervasive use of this term creates three problems. First, it promotes a plug-and-play approach, in which teachers are encouraged to adopt new methods and use them as much as possible but…

In this article, Alfie Kohn discusses four questions about questioning--starting with questions that are more basic, and progressing to some that are "deeper and potentially more subversive of traditional schooling." He begins by considering what questions we should ask students, and encourages teachers to keep questions with…

Readers use different processes to read different kinds of text. Three principles can guide teachers in helping their students better understand the nuances of different genres. Teachers should engage students in reading and writing for real-world reasons, develop students' knowledge of specific genre features, and teach strategies tailored to…

Suggests the use of specified objectives rather than behavioral objectives. They would be chosen by the school according to its own philosophy of education, and would be specified only for certain subject matter which the school considers basic. (Author/DR)

Poses a question which inquires about the need for behavioral objectives, the possible uses they may have, and the educational functions that may be conceived for them. (Author)