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This interview was conducted with Professor Keith Allan with the aim of providing a brief but informative summary of the state of the art of pragmatics. In providing answers to the interview questions, Professor Allan begins with a definition of pragmatics as it is practiced today, i.e., the study of the meanings of utterances with attention to the context in which the utterances are made. He further notices that discourse analysis, pragmatics, semantics, semiotics, and the philosophy of language are related disciplines, but unlike some other scholar, he does not distinguish "texts" from "discourses" in that he sees texts to be the interesting products of discourse. Later, in the course of the interview, he accepts the interviewers' chronological approach to pragmatics, but suggests that any historian of pragmatics would have his or her own version. Further, in his response to a question concerning Mey's Pragmatic Act Theory (PAT), Professor Allan quotes from Mey (2001) to presents a view of pragmemes and practs. He further suggests that there is no bound on the number of possible hypotheses (theories) of language structure and usage, and that all theories are worthy of consideration provided that rational grounds can be advanced for the assessment of different hypotheses. The future direction of pragmatics, in Professor Allan's view, will rely on corpora in that corpora provide bodies of naturally occurring texts which can be used to test any theoretical claims in pragmatics.

Schools certified under the LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certification support educational programs are the beacons to sustain our Earth. Green schools are a mechanism for learning and their existence is pure example for the future of school facility planning. The purpose of this article is to discuss the various approaches used in green school designs and touches on research that shows the benefits of these techniques that lead to "Greener Schools, Greater Learning and the LEED Value."

The leader of the school with an embraced philosophy and understanding of the six realms of meaning ("Symbolics," "Empirics," "Esthetics," "Synnoetics," "Ethics" and "Synoptics") can lead the educational system of the school towards the direction of celebrating the success of the children attending the school. Kritsonis states: "World-Wide, people are aware of the need for the most effective possible educational system if we are to meet the challenges and demands of life in a highly precarious and rapidly changing world" (2007, p.vii).

This article will seek to utilize Dr. William Allan Kritsonis' book "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" (2007) as a framework to improve a campus's standardized test scores, more specifically, their TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) scores. Many campuses have an improvement plan, also known as a Campus Improvement Plan, which strives to improve many aspects on their campus, but mostly their standardized test scores. Utilizing the six realms of meaning, symbolics, empirics, esthetics, synnoetics, ethics, and synoptics, schools can better prepare their students on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.

The purpose of this article is to examine how Postmodernism and the "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" (2007) by Dr. William Kritsonis can be implemented in our schools with strategic planning. The six realms of meanings are symbolics, empirics, esthetics, synnoetics, ethics, and synoptics. Postmodernism's primary significance is its power to account for vast changes in our society, cultures, education and economy as we move from a production to a consumption society. Postmodernism has captured interest because it involves a stunning critique of modernism.

A system is a group of interacting, interrelated, and interdependent components that form a complex and unified whole. Systems thinking is a way of understanding reality that emphasizes the relationships among systems parts, rather than the parts themselves. Based on a field of study known as "system dynamics", systems thinking has a practical value that rests on a solid theoretical foundation (Pegasus Communications, 2009). This study explores how the six realms of meaning coupled with the Baldridge model create a framework for comprehensive school reform.

The educational environment has become increasingly complex, demanding, and multidimensional. The "No Child Left Behind Act" has expanded the federal role in education and increased accountability for achievement results. Academic achievement is the cornerstone of the educational organization. Strategic planning, implemented using Dr. William A. Kritsonis' "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" (2007), can align the educational organization's thinking to ensure stability, establish priorities, and achieve long term academic success.

A man's self-interest cannot be determined by blind desires or random whims, feelings, urges, or wishes. His interest must be discovered and achieved by the guidance of rational principles that he chooses for himself. This selfishness is man's way to individual triumph over hardships. It is a virtue. Man must be guided by his own independent judgment. The educational leader does not act on what he perceives but operates from rational decisions and becomes the beneficiary of his own actions. All decisions and actions start from a rational decision that is valued and personally chosen. The selfishness is positive. Wrong choices will cause educational leaders to have a short career. Selfishness can be a positive trait for educators. A consistent philosophical frame of reference is provided for those who have become confused by the influence of altruism.

Over the years women have played crucial roles in societal leadership. Within the past decade more women have emerged in taking positions of leadership in many areas concerning U.S. education in particularly the highest public position in education, Superintendent. Obtaining, sustaining, and maintaining high positions of power for any career woman does not come without a high price. The caliber and quality of woman who holds such positions of power like Ayn Rand, know that human greatness equals rational achievement irrespective of gender. [This paper was published in "Doctoral Forum."]

The article addresses teacher retention challenges employers are experiencing in the quest to effectively meet standard human resource management practices. The quality of the employer-employee relationship forms the foundation upon which effective management practices thrive. Teachers who remain in education value students and their personal impact within the learning community. Career educators also appreciate autonomy and collaborative decision making. Effective leaders who create learning environments that embody these characteristics provide optimal work places for teachers. The portrait of an effective leader includes a dynamic persona who may inspire the purposeful work of others through artful performance. He realizes a purpose much higher than himself and commits to the patient, focused pursuit of the ideal learning community. Effective leaders view employees as resources and align them accordingly with objectives to find the best "fit" for success.

The academic persistence of students in higher education continues to be a critical issue among academicians. Emphasized in previous studies is the recognition that intuitional variables do influence students' decisions to persist in attaining their educational goals. However, little or no past research exists on the effects of the higher education classroom on student persistence and satisfaction. For this reason it seemed feasible to identify institutional variables cited in relevant literature as being primary determinants of the student departure process. The purpose of this article is to explore the higher education classroom and its effects on student persistence and satisfaction.

The purpose of this brief commentary is to determine which language skill Polish higher school learners think ought to be practiced most frequently during Spanish classes. Fifteen undergraduate students who study at AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland were surveyed, and the authors found that most learners (73%) want to practice speaking in person in Spanish classes. The theoretical framework for this article is provided by the general idea of the school as an organization and social institution.

Fluency in reading refers to the speed and ease with which we read, according to the Government Partnership for Reading Publications. You might ask, "Why should fluency be taught?" According to "Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic Education Reading Instruction," National Fluency Government Partnership for Reading from 2007 "Students who are not fluent readers will spend more time on decoding than they do on understanding the meaning of the text." As we know, beginning readers are not fluent. Their reading is choppy, has mispronunciations, and has an overabundance of hesitations. There are three elements of fluent reading: (1) speed, (2) accuracy, and (3) reading with proper rhythm, intonation and expression. The development of fluent reading involves learning to look at each word quickly and efficiently. The eye movements of the struggling reader are fixated on a text and move backwards or skip words more often than good readers. Guided oral reading and frequent independent reading are the major instructional techniques used to increase reading fluency, according to this publication. [Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines.]

Student achievement is a serious problem in American schools today. Academics are compromised when districts have difficulty attracting, retaining and rewarding highly qualified teachers. School districts must utilize innovative methods in motivating educators to stay in the profession. Teacher motivation is the key to academic success. (Contains 1 table.)

The author looks at critical dialogue surrounding the causes for the alarming high numbers of high school dropouts in states that use high stakes standardized testing mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act, and investigates the perceived correlations between high stakes testing and high numbers of high school dropouts of minority students.

"The fundamental task of any educational institution is to determine the manner of defining and organizing its curriculum. At the outset the obvious fact that there is more to learn, more to teach, and more to put in the curriculum than time available presents the educators with hard choices" (Kritsonis, 2007, p. v.) Therefore it is imperative that new paradigms for educational curriculum designs, teaching models, and educational delivery systems be investigated to ensure that the most appropriate levels of meaning and understanding are delivered to the students in our classrooms. Utilizing a post-modernistic approach to education, this article lays a beginning foundation and treatise on how to successfully integrate a curriculum based on philosophy, postmodernism, and the "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" (Kritsonis, 2007) curriculum selection guide.

The high teacher turnover rate and low student academic performance are two urgent issues that threaten the education of America's children--our greatest resource. The technical core of schools nationally is to provide a quality education to produce literate generations to function in our global society. If the United States is to equip its young people with the problem-solving and communication skills that are essential in the new economy it is more important than ever to recruit and retain high-quality teachers (Murnane & Steele, 2007). This article focuses on whether teacher turnover effects students' academic performance.

The belief that there is one right way or method of inquiry to pursue truth as it is constructed has been rejected by postmodernism. Postmodernism challenges and opens up the central idea that only one set of limits are possible in supporting professional practice. Postmodernism designs a way to look at concepts through the context of meaning. The postmodern paradigm considers human endeavors to be connected with the natural world rather separate from nature. The postmodern theoretical paradigm is about investigating and accepting new practices in solving old problems. In order for change to occur there must be a shift in our thinking. Accepting and applying new views will lead the way for educators to close the academic gap and promote student success.

With both high retirement and high attrition rates among educators and a nationwide increasing student population, more teachers are needed. With the impact of a teacher shortage, educational systems began to examine the alternative certification methods. Alternative routes to teacher education profoundly impact the teaching force. The "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" by William Allan Kritsonis, PhD (2007) provides insight in identifying strategies which focus on the retention of alternatively certified teachers.

The intent of this article is to illustrate the effectiveness of using the tenets described in the "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" by Dr. William Allan Kritsonis (2007) to improve ethical conduct. Ten recommendations to implement the "Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning" (2007) for the improvement of ethical conduct are provided. Professor Kritsonis details how ethical conduct can be improved by exploring the following realms of meaning: symbolics, empirics, esthetics, synnoetics, ethics, and synoptics.

A shortage of quality teachers in high-risk urban schools has compelled school leaders to examine innovative methods of recruiting and retaining new teachers to hard-to-staff campuses. Principals must work aggressively to attract new teachers to their campuses by forming university partnerships for early recruitment, and initiating on the job training for new recruits as early as the previous school year. Early immersion in the school environment is key to a smooth transition. Additionally, principals must allocate the necessary fiscal resources to the task of retaining new teachers, particularly in mentorship and professional development. Hard-to-staff campuses must invest in a full-time teacher mentor as well as retired teachers to provide intense mentorship and relevant professional training. Principals must also integrate other critical components to building teacher quality and commitment, such as on-site certification preparation, graduated retention bonuses, and most importantly, weekly formal and informal interactions between the principal and new teachers. The development of new teachers in hard-to-staff schools should be of the highest priority for principals, as stability is key to long-term school improvement. The commitment to this initiative must not only be evident in a principal's agenda and campus improvement goals, but the campus expenditures as well.

This article takes a look into the current state of public schools in the United States. It examines whether or not we are adhering to the verdict of the Brown vs. the Board of Education case and the dream of Dr. King. In addition, it explores a possible solution for dealing with the separate but equal issue.

Traditional teacher documentation procedures pit the administrator against the teacher. The process is adversarial and erodes the quality of the intervention. Teachers who are unsuccessful in meeting campus/school district expectations can be successfully acclimatized to the campus culture through a documentation process that combines affective traits with technical necessities. The quality of the intervention is a function of the administrator's skill and support team collaboration. The result is a documentation process that assists both the administrator and the teacher in forming a curative plan for teacher development.

America has not realized the "melting pot" concept envisioned by idealists. Instead, racial, ethnic and cultural groups have remained largely distinct, separate societal entities that come together only by design, a phenomenon known as Balkanization. Students who mimic this behavior within the educational setting may do so to their academic peril. Educational leaders must be purveyors of change in terms of acknowledging diverse student demographic groups and developing diagnostic and prescriptive strategies to address their needs. Educational leaders may begin the transition through critical evaluation of the ELCC Standards and by tailoring the standards to address diverse student populations.

Recent reforms in Polish education, Canadian interest in cooperative education, and differences in government involvement in Polish vs. Canadian education motivate the current comparative study of Polish post-secondary vocational schools (PVSs) and Canadian community colleges (CCs). While PVSs and CCs may initially appear equivalent (e.g., both provide training in specific skill sets), important differences are manifested when the institutions are examined from the perspective of two concepts associated with information technology: "accessibility" and "accountability" of information. A comparative analysis of categories under each concept yields substantial differences between PVSs and CCs in terms of both accessibility (e.g., varied programs of study and course schedules, online application, curriculum comprehensiveness) and accountability (e.g., federal institutional accreditation, surveys of stakeholder groups, unity in program standards). (Contains 2 figures and 5 notes.)

This article addresses an analysis of current literature on employee and student absenteeism and seeks to provide key recommendations that may yield higher levels of attendance and student achievement in urban school districts. It hones on the idea that educational leaders must be cognizant of the factors relating to absenteeism and its cost to the educational community at large. Additionally, examples of employee incentives and elements of effect student truancy plans are recommended that may aide in curtailing student and teacher absenteeism rate for the district.

School systems in America face many critical challenges pertaining to regulating cell phone use by students in today's schools. School executives and classroom teachers face challenges daily relative to how to effectively deal with student's using cell phones. There are many drawbacks and benefits for cell phone use by students. The authors stress that school administrators and teachers must work cooperatively with school patrons to solve emerging concerns.

The purpose of this article is to examine "Ways of Knowing through the Realms of Meaning" by Dr. William Allan Kritsonis as a framework that innovative and progressive leaders in education can use to implement and utilize the absolute best practices regarding Human Resources in an educational organization. Dr Kritsonis's "Ways of Knowing through the Realms of Meaning" provides useful guidelines for holistically addressing all facets of Human Resources in an educational setting. This paper will explore the six fundamental patterns of meaning outlined in Dr. Kritsonis's "Ways of Knowing through the Realms of Meaning": symbolics, empirics, esthetics, synnoetics, ethics, and synoptics to provide guidelines to ensure that all aspects of Human Resources in an educational environment are addressed appropriately and implemented effectively and successfully.

The purpose of this article is to examine and search various ways we can close the achievement gap between African-American and Non-minority students within the educational system in the United States. [Note: Special note of gratitude to Dr. Kimberly Grantham Griffith for her assistance in getting this article published. See: www.nationalforum.com]

This article deals with the use of Problem-Based Learning. The emphasis on high stakes testing, classroom size, diversity, school violence, and much more impact public education and professional preparation programs relative to teacher education. Issues are presented dealing with Accrediting Commissions and Professional Organizations, and the use of strategies for implementing Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Two models are presented describing a system of Traditional Methods of Delivery and the recommended Method of Delivery Using Problem-Based Learning. Professors who employ quality Problem-Based Learning cases in their classrooms provide teacher candidates the opportunity to experience the process of solving real world problems as opposed to reading and memorizing lists of standards, teaching strategies, and qualities of effective teachers. Learning in context makes the information real and relevant. Teacher candidates immersed in educational research and knowledgeable about national, professional, and content standards are best equipped to become highly qualified in their fields. As a result they may be prepared to become teacher leaders.

The purpose of this article is to examine the factors that influence student motivation that ultimately affects student achievement. This article examines factors that include motivation, school culture, student self-concept, and goal setting. The authors provide strategies that involve practical methods for activating a student's desire to achieve. Motivational strategies are emphasized to develop school environments that are avenues for students to strive for excellence in their educational pursuits.

Postmodernism has many inferences that can be applied to the theory and practice of higher educational administration. Today, in higher education administrators are continuously focused on strategies that will ensure the future of minority educational institutions. As a result postmodernism is an important factor in the future of higher educational administration. The purpose of this article is to provide theories and strategies of postmodernism which can be utilized in support of the student retention process. These recommendations will enable administrators to strategically plan for goals and objectives delineated in the institutions' strategic plan. Finally, this article will provide institutions with recommendations of best practices which can be utilized on a Historically Black College and University Campuses.

Ethical conduct should inspire a quality of behavior that exemplifies honor and dignity for oneself. In a school district, teachers, administrators, staff, and school board members should understand the importance of ethical conduct in the educational arena. An effective educational organization entails the need of individuals maintaining integrity and high morals. The Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning (2007) by William Allan Kritsonis, PhD provides insight in improving ethical conduct in the educational environment.

This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of native and nonnative English teachers in Polish schools in light of the researchers' personal language teaching experience and language teacher research and training. It is argued that the NS/NNS controversy is over simplified and ignores the complexities of teacher training, language learning, and language proficiency. It is further argued that NS English teachers should be employed in Poland because they teach in their own language, use current idioms, provide information about English speaking countries and enhance the credibility of programs. Furthermore, the importance of NNS English teachers in Polish schools is stressed. The discussion closes by emphasizing the importance of both NS and NNS English teachers having successful classroom second language learning experiences themselves and an adequate skill set in language teaching. (Contains 1 figure and 1 note.)

The intent of this article is to illustrate the effectiveness of using the tenets described in the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning by Dr. William Allan Kritsonis (2007) to improve ethical conduct. Ten recommendations to implement the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning for the improvement of ethical conduct are provided. Professor Kritsonis details how ethical conduct can be improved by exploring the following realms of meaning: symbolics, empirics, esthetics, synnoetics, ethics and synoptics.

The purpose of this article is to compare the teaching of religion in government-run primary and secondary educational institutions in Poland and Canada (Ontario and Quebec). The theoretical framework for this work is supplied by the general idea that the school is an organization and social institution. It is concluded that religious instruction in schools is a contentious matter in both Poland and Canada.

The aim of this article is to compare the teaching of religion in government-run primary and secondary educational institutions in Poland and Canada (Ontario and Quebec). The theoretical framework for this work is supplied by the general idea that the school is an organization and social institution. It is concluded that religious instruction in schools is a contentious matter in both Poland and Canada. (Contains 3 notes.)

This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of native and nonnative English teachers in Polish schools in light of the researchers' personal language teaching experience and language teacher research and training. It is argued that the NS/NNS controversy is oversimplified and ignores the complexities of teacher training, language learning, and language proficiency. It is further argued that NS English teachers should be employed in Poland because they teach in their own language, use current idioms, provide information about English speaking countries and enhance the credibility of programs. Furthermore, the importance of NNS English teachers in Polish schools is stressed. The discussion closes by emphasizing the importance of both NS and NNS English teachers having successful classroom second language learning experiences themselves and an adequate skill set in language teaching. (Contains 1 figure and 1 endnote.) [This paper was also presented at the Conference on Problems in Language Teaching (Kirov, Russia, February 4-15, 2007).]