The wide range of experience, education, and competence can make it challenging for administrators to plan and implement ongoing professional development that meets the needs of each teacher, particularly in centers serving preschoolers from families with low incomes. Administrators must meet multiple, and seemingly ever-changing, state and agency…

Developing positive school climates and improving school discipline policies and practices are critical steps to raising academic achievement and supporting student success. However, there is no single formula for doing so. Rather, the growing body of research and best practices in the field should inform locally developed approaches to improving…

Recognizing that student achievement is intrinsically linked to high-quality teaching, Jodi Peine offers an invaluable guide that helps educational leaders strengthen teachers' instructional practice with an individualized and robust professional development process. The author provides administrators and staff developers with step-by-step…

A series of five modules is designed to provide content and structure for staff development in classroom management techniques. Each module contains preview questions, module objectives, a number of instructional activities keyed to stated objectives, and a number of follow-up/review questions and activities. The five module topics are: teacher…

Discusses technology-related staff development at Winona Middle School. Describes media entry-level exploration classes and other more advanced classes on electronic searching, Internet search strategies, using various tools, lessons design, and multimedia skills classes. Presents ideas on how teachers can provide meaningful staff development.…

Descriptions and implications of five stages of professional development of science teachers are provided. Behavioral characteristics for each stage are stressed. (CW)

This manual supplies the written materials that accompany or supplement a video program on developing and implementing peer coaching among inservice teachers. The video program consists of two tapes, the first, or main program tape, explaining the process and giving examples, and the second supplementing the first by providing an in-depth look at…

This book uses a traditional focus of educational development (teaching and learning) to examine the theories and practices of staff development in Australasia. The initial chapter reviews the philosophical foundations of staff development, including the basis of the idea of development, along with the problems that concept raises. Chapter 2…

This special issue of a quarterly newsletter describes a number of approaches to staff development in adult basic education and English-as-a-Second-Language programs being practiced in New York City. It includes an editorial about the necessity of making the resource commitment to provide full-time jobs and decent health coverage for staff.…

This paper discusses the need, principles, types, and evaluation of professional development programs as a stimulus document for the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Council meeting. (YP)

Maximum academic achievement for gifted and talented students can only be accomplished when teachers are given the tools, support, and training needed to strengthen instructional skills and develop knowledge of the social and emotional needs of the students they serve. Providing meaningful professional development to develop or enhance these…

This occasional paper describes the National Council for History Education's program of professional development for history teachers along with the principles that were used to institute the program. The manual is intended as a guide for educators to establish their own history colloquium programs. The 10 sections are: (1)…

Portfolios are increasingly being used to demonstrate competence and to show development needs among employees in organizations. This book explains what a portfolio is and how it links with the current training revolution taking place through the introduction of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in Great Britain. It shows how portfolios…

The Personnel Preparation Curriculum is a collaborative consultative model for training professionals, including Head Start teachers, parents, and paraprofessionals, to work with families to address the educational needs of children. The activity-based model views families as being in charge, and professionals as partners with parents. Six…

Professional development for teachers is often described as a journey. This paper, using the findings from a small-scale study interrogating professional development in ICT, offers the alternate metaphor of an interwoven Celtic knot to explain this phenomenon. It will show how the four key elements identified as being critical to creating the most…