Teachers' social capital is defined as "the knowledge and resources for teaching practice accessible through a social network." The first step to analyzing teachers' social capital is to understand the structure of their social network. Some networks are highly interconnected, offering teachers numerous opportunities to share ideas and receive…

Leadership by teachers is essential to serving the needs of students, schools, and the teaching profession. To that end, the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium has developed Teacher Leader Model Standards to codify, promote, and support teacher leadership as a vehicle to transform schools for the needs of the 21st century. The Teacher…

The time-honored children's story "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" is a prime example of someone having the kind of day people would like to avoid. Having a bad day can happen to anyone--even a dedicated literacy coach. An important component of coaching is building collaborative working relationships between the coach…

University consultants to a school district developed a collegial support staff development program to help experienced teahers improve their instructional skills. The model's characteristics included voluntary participation, formative evaluation, opportunities for reflection, a summer training program, and monthly seminars. (CB)

Describes ways in which principals can use a two-phase staff development process to foster a strong sense of community and build an educational community. Benefits include higher staff morale, increased faculty cohesion, and a renewed dedication to teaching. (SM)

Describes a training program for principals who are mentors for other principals. After defining mentoring, the article considers fundamental assumptions about development of formal mentoring programs, then outlines a mentor training model. Evaluation indicates the program increased mentors' understanding of their mentor relationships and helped…

The making of a staff developer combines deliberate, systematic training and an accumulation of knowledge, skills, and assumptions based on experience. Staff developers must understand school practices and adult learning theory, shared decision-making and organization of support, and be flexible, creative, and committed to their work. (PP)

A staff developer summarizes the impact of several formative experiences on his career and professional outlook. Through his work as a Colorado state science curriculum consultant and his participation in various state and national organizations, he learned the importance of forming collegial relationships and networks to effect change. (PP)

The author, a private educational consultant in Michigan, traces the influence of early experiences, positive and negative role models, and various jobs on his career development. As a counselor and teacher trainer, he was particularly concerned with teacher burnout and stress. (PP)