Explores leadership development from preservice preparation programs to renewal activities for veteran administrators. Staff development professionals offer examples of leadership development, such as the preparation of prospective principals, using mentors, promoting ownership in staff development, linking school districts with universities, and…

An interview with Robert Garmston, California State University professor, details the cognitive coaching model for supervision or peer coaching of principals, department heads, and teachers. The model is based on the principles that all people can change and therefore develop intellectually, and that teacher performance is based on decision-making…

Offers nine suggestions to help program chairpersons plan successful programs for professional meetings: clearly understand the organization's purposes and objectives, choose an annual site, experiment with times, announce meetings well in advance, plan various formats, plan for long-term professional development, expect the unexpected, use local…

Describes the philosophy supporting the model, the program objectives, activities, staffing and governance, and evaluation of a field-based program for professional development. The article suggests the implications for staff development and strategies for implementing the model. (GLR)

A National Staff Development Council (NSDC) survey examined the status of staff development and staff developers in North America. This article summarizes data from 1,057 respondents focusing on identity of the field of staff development, resources for staff development, demographics of NSDC members, and the role of higher education. (SM)

Staff developers used data-gathering tools to help one high school community deal with decision making for improving programs, organizational climate, and student learning. The school/university collaboration involved collecting data about how the organization and the people within it worked, then using the data to change the organization. (SM)

This article describes a three-year program for training elementary and secondary school teachers to become staff development specialists, conducted by the New York City Teacher Centers Consortium. The program's history is traced, selected training activities are described, and conclusions about the program's adaptability elsewhere are drawn. (PP)

Staff development is crucial in creating successful mentoring relationships in schools and districts. Four major tasks for staff developers when creating programs for mentors are: selecting and training mentors, matching mentors with proteges, setting goals and expectations, and establishing the program. Implications for staff developers are…

Two professors in the University of Oregon's College of Education reflect upon their consultation and research experiences and share their insights about organization development in education. They discuss such areas in organization development as self-study, value systems, budget, peer cadres, teamwork, conflict management, and staff development.…

This article explores how Asians foster community and nourish spirit in staff development settings, discussing the role of rituals in learning communities, contrasting Asian approaches with North American approaches, and arguing for including rituals in staff development for a more balanced sharing of learning across cultures. (SM)

The metaphoric edubarrier (similar to the sound barrier) lies above the customary rates of learning and impedes education. The article suggests that education is tethered more by social-psychological bonds than by actual limitations of the sciences. A discussion of how the edubarrier hinders collegiality, improvement, and teacher education is…

Michael Kirst argues that staff developers need to develop a clear set of policy positions and specific strategies to influence policymakers, noting that policymakers have traditionally held staff development in low esteem. The paper presents suggestions for what staff developers can do to further their cause. (SM)

Syracuse University models effective adult learning and professional development practices in its leadership program for K-12 educators. Its newly redesigned graduate program helps break down longstanding barriers between teacher and administrator preparation, emphasizing core functions of schools (teaching and learning). This paper examines key…

Improving school leadership quality must start with leadership standards. The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) developed standards for use in all school leadership positions. This paper describes: how to use the standards for principals' professional development; how to ensure quality preservice administrator preparation; how…

This article profiles Bena Kallick, a renowned consultant on thinking, assessment, and school restructuring. The constant thread throughout Kallick's staff development career has been her focus on helping educators and parents examine what they want for their schools, how to achieve their vision, and what their children are learning. (SM)