Presents an interview with the chairperson of a regional committee of the Soviet teachers' trade union. Includes comments on the role of the trade union during perestroika, the development of union independence from the government, and an experimental program replacing some city committees with councils of trade union committee chairpersons. (DK)

Discusses a perceived lack of concern for retired teachers among former students and the community at large. Provides examples and excerpts from letters describing loneliness and financial difficulties among retired teachers in the Soviet Union. Urges respect and concern for those who have given everything for their profession, often at the…

Describes some of the reasons teachers are quitting the profession and recommends specific actions school board members can take (1) to improve school facilities, curricula, and teaching conditions, and (2) to meet student needs. (IW)

Reports on proceedings of the 1986 conventions of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. Both conventions focused on the endorsement of the Carnegie report, on the professionalization of teaching, on programs to fight rising dropout rates and teacher shortages, and on the success of union leadership. (IW)