There are three key criteria for effective questioning. First, teachers must create a classroom environment that challenges the culture of disengagement found in some classrooms. Second, teachers must develop expert patterns through the questions they ask. Third, teachers must understand why some students may not be responsive to even…

Fact-finding, as a means of settling public employment disputes, is discussed. The history, legal status, and procedures of fact-finding are summarized. (MF)

To help teacher educators and others become better consumers of the teacher standards currently on the market, this article presents and analyzes some claims typically advanced for such standards. All proposals, whether research-based or representing professional consensus, must be respectfully received, reviewed, and discussed. (16 references)…

"A Construct for Identifying Excellence in Schools" is based on the development and use of a set of criteria to evaluate middle-grades schools for the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, Schools-to-Watch initiative. It was developed by The National Forum, on whose behalf the article was written. The article summarizes these criteria…

Suggests ground rules for legitimizing alternatives within the public system and argues for options as a feasible route to reform. (Author)

Applies four characteristics of a true profession, synthesized from the work of three writers, to teaching and concludes that teaching cannot yet be considered a true profession. Rather, it can be viewed as a semiprofession on its way to achieving full professional status. (Author/WD)

Criteria, not uniform standards, are appropriate for schools, since neither available resources nor socioeconomic levels are uniform. Education's aim is not to train an army marching to the same drummer. Teachers' challenge is to provide conditions fostering the growth of personal characteristics that are socially important and personally…

In satirical verse the author affirms the value of merit pay proposals and laments the lack of action on such proposals that has resulted from indecisiveness concerning criteria for merit pay implementation. (JBM)

This review of recent research on minimum competency testing requirements focuses on the impact of such requirements on school curricula and on the processes of selecting which competencies are to be tested, determining cutoff scores, and ensuring test validity and reliability. (JBM)