Responds to the articles "Another Opportunity Lost?: Maybe Professional Development Experiences Aren't Supposed to Teach Teachers Anything about the New York State Social Studies Framework" by Sandra Mathison and "Misconstruing Constructivism and State Regulation of Teaching (Unlearning What We Know about Educational Reforms)"…

Maintains that there soon will be a rush to review recent state and national efforts to establish curriculum standards. Describes three nightmares and three possibilities for substantive change. Discusses the role of the National Council for the Social Studies in the standards development movement. (CFR)

Argues for a conversational community within the social studies profession. Explores relevant attributes of such a community. Suggests that researchers ask (1) who speaks, (2) the topics of discourse, and (3) how language is used. Concludes that a conversational community does exist but is kept from its full potential by distrust between teachers…

Uses the example of New York State to illustrate how the rancorous political debate over education can render national standards irrelevant and contradictory. In appeasing so many factions the standards become inclusive to the point of obfuscation. Provides a brief overview of the controversy concerning national standards. (MJP)