Recent Illinois legislation requires school principals in the state to be qualified to provide school leadership for children from preschool to grade twelve instead of kindergarten to grade twelve. Illinois is the first state to make such a change and may well serve as a model for change in school leadership preparation on a national level. The…

In this article, the author states that it is widely thought that understanding, imagination, strong character, courage, humility, and generosity are the six virtues of the educated person. He stresses that today's schools are driven by a definition that says educated people are those who score high on standardized tests. This definition is…

In the 2000 movie "The Perfect Storm," there is an unusual convergence of several critical weather factors that set the stage for a destructive outcome that takes both property and lives. It has become a popular metaphor to describe how events come together in a unique way to have an exceptional influence on something, typically a negative impact.…

In this article, the author challenges the validity and usefulness of the concept of "paradigm," as this term has been used in the social sciences generally, and specifically in the debates over research methods. He emphasizes that in criticizing what he sees as the misuse of the paradigm concept, he is not arguing for dismissing or ignoring…

When the editors of this journal asked the author to provide his evaluation of the concept of "paradigms" and provide a commentary on Joseph Maxwell's article on the subject, he responded positively because he believes that too often important ideas are not clarified, discussed, and debated in the literature. In this article, he first defines some…

In this paper, the author aims to share some of the efforts, successes, challenges and lessons learned over approximately two decades of professional development projects both large and small. In retrospect the author contends that efforts toward change, improvement and advancement were always bumping against culture. So, this address attempts to…

As cited in the Coalition for Intercollegiate Athletics paper entitled, "Academic Integrity in Intercollegiate Athletics: Principles, Rules, and Best Practices," "To the degree that athletics undermines academic integrity, it reflects a cynical attitude towards the ideals of college sports and of higher education." College athletics and academic…

Recent documents released by the U.S. Department of Education offer a negative characterization of Teacher Education. In a recent edition of "AACTE Briefs," Sharon Robinson (2005) points out the obvious: "teacher education has been the focus of high-profile and high-impact interest of policy makers for many years" (p. 2). Policy makers have cast…

Historically, the consolidation of school districts has brought with it many promises and perils. In this paper, the author links curriculum and community involvement within the consolidation context.

In this keynote address presented at the October, 2005 Annual Conference, the author considers the role of dissent in the academy from the perspective of the turbulent late sixties and early seventies. He examines the role of dissent as a foundational principle in the modern era of the American university. He states that dissent was neither…

Educational theory should be the foundation for most practice and research, but this is not a one-way relationship. Good inductive research may help to develop theory instead of coming from it. The relationship of theory to research can be different in qualitative research than in quantitative research. Practice can and should also inform and be…

School choice is increasingly promulgated as a promising education reform policy for failing urban schools, but no solid evidence has yet shown the promise fulfilled. The authors argue that choice based on market theory without a moral center is insufficient. Without a moral foundation, such market-driven choice programs may actually disadvantage…

In this keynote address presented at the Mid-western Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in October, 2004, the author discusses the increasing interest of federal policy-makers in scientifically-based research. A comparison between education and other disciplines is offered, and a proposal for increased rigor in educational research is…

My purpose for writing this commentary is to reflect on how one teacher attempted to utilize the philosophies and practices of Paolo Freire, Augusto Boal, and Myles Horton in a graduate level, educational foundations classroom. I take as my premise the view that pedagogical practice is political and that the processes of studying and changing…

Moving race from the margins of research paradigms entails a deconstruction of "Whiteness" as the norm against which all "others" are measured. Researchers must stop hiding behind scientific neutrality and being indifferent to how findings are used. To engage in emancipatory research, we must engage in the process of researching for the greater…