This paper describes some practical lessons derived from the Managing Academic Tasks studies conducted at the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education at the University of Texas at Austin. The research included case studies of academic work conducted in 10 junior and senior high school science, mathematics, social studies, and English classes. Concepts and propositions that can improve understanding of classroom teaching and learning include: (1) cognitive level of academic tasks; (2) classrooms as production systems; (3) meaning in classroom work; (4) classroom processes; and (5) students' interpretation of academic work. Practical suggestions about how teachers handle problems of planning and conducting work include: (1) communicating tasks to students; (2) monitoring students' work; (3) encouraging students to engage in novel tasks; (4) making connections among classroom tasks; and (5) choosing task types and forms. The following procedures for observing academic tasks in classrooms are discussed: (1) identifying academic tasks; (2) pre-observation conferences; (3) observing classes; (4) describing tasks; and (5) postobservation conferences. (JM)