The before and after of a professional learning event is as important as the event itself, says Fred Ende, author of "Professional Development That Sticks" (ASCD Arias, 2016). Here, he introduces the TAR Method (Think, Act, Review) to help give these phases their due.

According to Jim Knight, learning something new--such as a new instructional approach or other innovation--and applying it in practice is complex and involves adaptations that take time. Knight describes the five stages he believes people go through in learning and practicing any innovation, from "non-use," gradually up to the stage of…

In the first years of his career as a high school math teacher, Matt Townsley was bothered by the fact that his grades penalized students for not learning content quickly. A student could master every standard, but low quiz grades and homework assignments they didn't complete because they didn't understand would lower their final grade,…

This article observes that schools that use technology well have key commonalities, including a project-based curriculum and supportive, distributed leadership. The authors' research into tech-rich schools revealed that schools used three strategies to integrate technology successfully. They did so by establishing the vision and culture,…

According to recent research, when teachers focus on higher mental processes (problem solving, application of principles, analytical skills, and creativity) within a mastery learning format, students' thinking skills and knowledge levels improve. Baltimore County (Maryland) and East Islip (New York) School Districts have programs integrating…

During the past five years, East Islip (New York) School District has developed an outcome-based curriculum and instructional format focusing on student mastery of thinking skills. Connecting mastery learning with thinking skills provides a framework allowing students to make their own connections between instructional fragments, classroom…

Instead of merely certifying administrators, the University of Northern Colorado is transforming its preparation focus from managerial skills to leadership development. The new knowledge base for future administrators stresses understanding self, using inquiry, shaping organizations, and understanding people and environmental influences.…

Discusses three essential components of successful cooperative education programs (commitment, pacing, and support) and offers practical suggestions to teachers, such as arranging groups efficiently, determining group size, deciding how long groups should stay together, and deciding when group learning is appropriate. Teaching social skills is…

The entire staff of one New York elementary school was trained in Developmental Activities Project to understand how students develop logical thinking, how to assess each student's developmental level, and how to create an appropriate learning environment. DAP is based on Piaget's 46 concrete mental structures, including classification, relations,…

The Paideia School Model was inspired by philosopher Mortimer Adler's belief in a high-quality, single-track, liberal arts education to prepare students for work, citizenship, and lifelong learning. This article describes how Chattanooga (Tennessee) parents and educators worked to develop and implement a holistic, rigorous Paideia curriculum. (MLH)

For 6 years, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools has pursued a major restructuring effort involving 30,000 students and 46 schools and covering all disciplines and grades. This initiative involved five components: developing student outcomes, defining curriculum, developing new assessment tasks, planning for instruction, and providing for…

When a well-conceived combination of innovative learning strategies is used, the results are generally more favorable than those attained using any single strategy. Broadening the scope of planning and implementation will not only help integrate innovations, but will enhance opportunities for collegial sharing. Integration guidelines are provided.…

In October 1992 issue of "Educational Leadership," Marian Matthews communicates several misunderstandings about cooperative learning. Interview data from 15 middle schoolers in a wealthy district are not generalizable to all cooperative-learning situations. A cooperative-learning group is neither a seating arrangement nor individualistic learning…

Despite the popularity of outcome-based education, research documenting its effects is rare. As an umbrella concept embracing various reform efforts, OBE defies easy definition. This article explains two OBE models (Mastery Learning and the Outcomes-Driven Developmental Model used in Johnson City, New York, Schools) and summarizes recent state OBE…

Cooperative learning could transform our schools, our communities, and our society. Reexamining classroom reward structures and implementation strategies could provide opportunities for reflecting on content, harmonizing content and process, coordinating cooperative learning with other classroom values, empowering teachers and students,…