Much of the conversation in recent years about how to attract and retain high-quality teachers has focused on salaries--how much teachers are paid, the possibilities of differentiated pay scales, and pay for performance. But it has become increasingly clear that teachers take much more than salary into account when tallying up working conditions.…

Recent incidents of school violence have brought bullying to the nation's attention in a dramatic way. Research shows that approximately 30% of teens in the United States either bully, are targets of bullying, or both (National Youth, n.d.). Bullying causes adverse physical, psychological, and social effects. It erodes feelings of self-worth and…

Public schools are unique environments where the rights and responsibilities of one individual or group can easily, if unintentionally, infringe on the rights and responsibilities of other individuals or groups. This can leave public school employees wondering about the nature and scope of their rights. While it is well established that public…

Blogging is a widely used means of communication for millions of Internet users around the world. Blogs, which are Web sites or Weblogs where entries may be posted on a regular basis, frequently serve as online diaries or commentaries and may include text, images, and links to other sources. Diaries are no longer kept under lock and key. Today's…

Boundaries are internally or externally imposed limits that define appropriate relationships between individuals. Many educators do not set clear boundaries between themselves and their students. For example, a conversation with a student about sexually transmitted disease that might be appropriate for a school counselor or school psychologist is…

With the advent of the Internet and computer technology, today's students enjoy access to every part of the globe. Communications that once took weeks are now instantaneous. This is a far different world from the one most school administrators grew up in and, in most cases, it is an area where the knowledge of students far exceeds that of…