We analyzed cases of restructuring experiments in three elementary sch
ools, each with ethnically diverse populations located in large urban
school districts in different parts of the United States. Over 2 years
, we gathered data on views and classroom writing practices of two tea
chers in each school through on-site interviews and observations. We a
lso interviewed the principal and other support personnel. We found th
at these three schools did successfully restructure; changes included
new student grouping patterns, new ways of allocating time for subject
matter, teachers meeting together as a whole school or in teams and a
ccess to new ideas through professional development opportunities. Thr
ough close analyses of teachers' classroom practices, we learned that
changing teachers' practice is primarily a problem of learning not a p
roblem of organization. While school structures can provide opportunit
ies for learning new practices, the structures, by themselves, do not
cause the learning to occur.