The Lawrence Hall of Science implemented a two-phase project, Building Understanding in Language Diverse Students, to modify school group workshops and drop-in public programs to better support linguistically diverse students and visitors. As we applied language support strategies developed for the school group workshops to additional areas of the…

AASL's new integrated standards are designed to empower leaders to transform teaching and learning. The new "National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries" reflect an evolution of AASL Standards, building on philosophical foundations and familiar elements of previous standards while featuring the…

Many game-based learning (GBL) researchers working in K-12 educational settings have supported the incorporation of gaming technologies into classroom practice, but little has been communicated about the effect of incorporating GBL into practicing K-12 educators' professional development. This review is a critical appraisal of the quantity and…

With nearly a million paraprofessionals working in elementary and secondary schools (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013), ensuring they are well prepared and supported is essential to their and their students' success. Paraprofessionals work closely with classroom teachers to support students from special populations and are typically supervised by…

In this article, the author laments that too much of what goes on in schools are shaped by politicians who are more interested in winning elections than in winning good futures for children, who know that being tough but simplistic about "getting results" wins votes, whether or not it fosters learning. As such, the author calls on school leaders…

The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) has made a strong commitment to professional development for its paid staff and ongoing training for its volunteers. During its 25-year history, GPLC has faced three challenges as it implemented its current staff development system. In this article, the author discusses these three challenges: (1)…

Although bus drivers, teacher assistants, secretaries, hall aides, and cafeteria workers are vital to the school organization, they are often overlooked entirely by inservice training and staff development planners. This article describes a Long Island (New York) school district's successful staff development day exclusively for nonteaching…

Discusses continuing professional development for teachers in New Zealand, highlighting ultimate responsibility and individual commitment issues, benefits, mandatory versus voluntary requirements, management education program content, and several management training models (mentoring, formal courses, intensive residential courses, support groups,…

Describes two successful study groups on reading and language arts topics, one for elementary and one for secondary principals, facilitated by reading/language arts supervisors. (SR)

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…

Describes a concept called the "professional circle" which is modeled after the quality circle management technique. It works as a support group and helps teachers feel less isolated. (MD)

Schools cannot produce students as continuous learners and effective collaborators without teachers who possess those same characteristics. Learning organizations thrive on attention to staff orientation, curricular and/or interdisciplinary teams, peer observation, study groups, action research, school improvement task forces, professional…

Educators involved in staff development share insights about changes in the field over 25 years, discussing staff development as a professional function, reflections from a founder of the National Staff Development Council, professional advances, staff development as a major force for educational change, and blending individual development with…

Staff development as a transferable package of bite-sized knowledge pieces is outdated. To implement reform plans, teachers must be able to discuss, think about, try out, and hone new practices. Teachers can learn by observing children, adopting new subject-matter approaches, using strategies for learning together, integrating assessment with…

The American Association of School Administrators is concerned that past federal professional development activities have centered on colleges and universities rather than on school districts where teaching and learning occur. When reexamining the Higher Education Act of 1965, Congress should fund only local initiatives aimed at quality change and…