ABSTRACT
Teachers are vulnerable to external pressure for rapid change because of an inadequate knowledge base and because of citizens' lack of understanding about the complexity of teaching and how difficult it is to bring about meaningful change. Some models based on more recent classroom research can also be applied to higher-level activities such as reading comprehension and study skills, and to certain types of scientific experimentation and mathematical problem solving. Despite careful critiques pointing out the limitations of school research, many districts are attempting to apply the results of school-effectiveness research in order to improve student performance. G. Fenstermacher distinguishes the structural elaboration from the personal elaboration of research. In every school a few core members of the teaching staff should have a continuing concern with classroom research and scholarship that are relevant to their school's context. The chapter argues that increasing teachers' professionalization is a necessary step if we are to improve both the conditions and outcomes of schooling.
