At last! A practical, readable guide for teachers, school leaders, and parent/teacher associations that shows how to plan fun, hands-on science nights! Get easy-to-implement, content-rich tips and ideas that will cultivate positive attitudes toward science! Learn how to involve and actively engage families in their children's science education.…

The president of the National Education Association (NEA) responds to Chester Finn's article (EA 518 431, this issue) by pointing out patterns of inaccuracy and misrepresentation in Finn's criticisms of the NEA. (MD)

Parent involvement is widely acknowledged as a central component in both overall school success and the academic success of individual children. Recognizing this, the federal No Child Left Behind Act mandates that states, districts and schools make extraordinary efforts to enhance effective parent involvement. Now, more than six years after the…

Provides background, including Tennessee Education Association involvement, and current status of Tennessee's Comprehensive Education Reform Act. Summarizes national career ladder plans. Identifies key issues: fair evaluation of teachers by statewide process; appropriate state and local roles for teacher evaluation and employment; workability of…

With the proposed dissolution of the binary system of higher education in the United Kingdom, the central issue facing faculty unions with diverse memberships and interests is how their future relationships will be structured. Greater cooperation is seen as necessary for protection of the higher education teaching profession. (MSE)

In this article, the author asks, what will it take to create and support a core teacher workforce in school systems that now must be redesigned for the high-stakes assessment environment of No Child Left Behind? School systems were beginning to address this question just as high stakes and high standards were being mandated across the nation. At…

Reviews the history of the two teachers' unions, presenting the differences and rivalry between the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. Details their differing responses to the current "excellence" movement. (MD)

Pessimists say the proposed merger of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) will create a union that will be more combative with superintendents and school boards. Optimists envision a more focused union positioned to work together with boards and administrators on school reform. (MLF)

Between February 1985 and July 1986, Great Britain experienced its most widespread, acrimonious, and traumatic teachers' dispute. The persons involved, the activities, and the agreement that ended the dispute are discussed. (MLF)

Australian higher education institutions must recognize the areas in which responsibility for decision making rests with collegiality and where it rests with faculty unions. Both have valid roles within the university community, but they should not overlap. Salary decisions should also be decentralized to preserve institutional autonomy and…

The extent to which collective bargaining, as a model for conflict resolution, has permeated higher education is examined, and extracts from collective bargaining agreements are analyzed to illustrate the unique nature of collective bargaining for this purpose. It is concluded that when a mutually respectful relationship exists between faculty…

A bargaining process, begun over 10 years ago, is based on problem-solving rather than on adversarial confrontation and uses elements of participative management. It has resulted in outstanding benefits for two school districts. Called "Theory Z bargaining," the process follows a procedure based on each side treating the other with…

The author's superintendency has been like a good marriage. Both she and the school community feel blessed to have had a true partnership built on mutually held beliefs and convictions, and to have had an opportunity to dream and make their dreams come true. Like most marriages, however, it has been a tremendous amount of work as they have…

Critiques Chester Finn's analysis (EA 518 431, this issue) of teachers unions, outlining the ambiguities in Finn's theories. (MD)

Presents the current and preeminent policy statement of the Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union. Reiterates the vital importance of geographic education and outlines general standards for curriculum planning. Addresses a broad range of issues including fundamental concepts, research and educational…