In a recent Phi Delta Kappan article, Perry Zirkel (2007) described professors and superintendents as “… two groups … marching to the beat of different drummers.” The point is just as valid for professors and teachers. He went on to say, “Yet each group must continually inform the other if educational leadership is to be effective.” That’s where this new column comes in. Each month we’ll bridge the so-called worlds of theory and practice by looking at a research study, journal article, or topic commonly discussed in methods courses or graduate programs. So, grab a cup of coffee, come in to the teaching lab, and enjoy being back in school (behind the desk, not in front of it).