The purpose of this article is to share wisdom collected from the field and offer a view of meaningful learning, explore the tensions that exist in educators' work, and invite conversation about the future of educational practice. The anecdotes and data come from a series of research studies conducted from 2001 to 2011 by a cadre of middle grades…

The author, a teacher at Roosevelt Junior High/Middle School in Eugene, Oregon, has created and taught a variety of elective classes. Each incorporated reading, writing skills, oral presentations, research reports, and specific educational goals. Of these classes, Storytelling became his favorite, because those who became tellers learn skills they…

A science teacher at small, rural Sheridan High School (Oregon) describes the development of a three-county telecommunications network for science teachers; benefits of the network in relieving teacher isolation and providing resources; and teacher and student use of the network in project-based science instruction. (SV)

A physics and chemistry teacher from rural Elmira High School (Oregon) describes his own and his students' experiences with the LabNet teacher telecommunications network and related project-based science instruction; the reactions of teacher colleagues and administrators to LabNet; and technological, psychological, and resource-related barriers to…