This article discusses how the author, together with his fellow teachers at Gilbert Public School District, effectively links professional development to teacher practice and student learning. With the help of the team at My Learning Plan Inc., a professional development management and evaluation system, they are taking initial steps to gauge the…

Staff development is evolving from an emphasis on skill development to shared experiences designed to modify the culture of a school. This includes attention to curriculum development, instructional strategies that can deliver the curriculum, school climate, and effective communication between staff aand community. (JD)

A description is given of a staff development effort in a vocational-technical school which involved school-based management teams and a series of retreats for the purpose of improving the school's climate and increasing its effectiveness. (JD)

An evaluation of participation patterns at the Westchester Principals' Center (NY) is discussed. Fifteen principals were interviewed. Findings are presented on levels of participation in professional development activities; program preferences; and the impact of personal beliefs and values, prior experience, and district context. (IAH)

Presents guidelines for staff developers who wish to create and sustain changes in schools. The article explains why staff development must be reconceptualized, discusses the emerging systems roles for staff developers, and shares information gained from extensive experience in applying a reconceptualized model of staff development. (SM)

The goals and benefits of a Quality Circles program (voluntary, regular, problem solving meetings held by groups of employees) are explored in this article. Practical guidelines for implementing this program in a school environment are also shared. (DF)

When business management begins to be concerned with its employees, productivity improves. A variety of human resource development programs used in business can be adapted to educational settings. The school staff developer's role is to improve job satisfaction, health, and motivation of staff members. (DF)

This article describes a professional development six-part model based on a holistic approach which assumes that educators' professional behavior is not influenced by a single factor in their professional environment, but by the totality of their educational and professional experience. (IAH)

Goals for the development of building level staff development in the Greenwich, Connecticut evaluation model include: (1) evaluating information sharing; (2) evaluating staff interests and concerns; (3) evaluating the acquisition of new skills, techniques, and strategies; and (4) evaluating the sense of community and commitment among staff in the…

A study of beginning teachers (N=391) in North Dakota led to a group mentoring program to deal with the unique induction needs of new teachers in rural districts. (Author/IAH)

Outlines some of the ways urban conditions affect urban schools and the implications for urban focused staff development. It is argued that these conditions limit the effectiveness of traditional models and approaches to staff development, requiring staff developers to include in their focus broad, systematic changes. (GLR)

Schools are organizations that affect and are affected by teachers' learning. School capacity stresses the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of individual teachers; creating a professional community among the staff; and program coherence within schools. To be effective in boosting the quality of instruction, professional development must address…

This article organizes what is known about teacher staff development into five models currently being espoused and used. Supporting theory and research on these models are reviewed, and a description is given of what is currently known about the organizational context that is required to support successful staff development efforts. (Author/IAH)

This article describes the development of a seven-step faculty-driven school improvement model and provides a case study of how the model is currently being implemented at a central Florida middle school. The model empowers teachers to design staff development programs based on their own needs. (IAH)