The California 4-H Association hosted two retreats to support its members with goals of balancing professional development with intentional relationship building. Evaluations demonstrated that staff found the intentional balance of time spent in unstructured, semi-structured, and structured time offered opportunities to grow professionally while…

Provides some direction on how mental health counselors can begin delivering staff development workshops to outside agencies. (Author/ABB)

This article describes a case study of an educational organization, the Big Picture Company, trying to implement a highly unusual school design. It offers a close look at its professional development strategies and how its comprehensive program helps create a culture where teachers can, and do, learn. I detail five professional development…

A broad range of literature on staff development, an important component of intensive English programs (IEPs) is reviewed, and an interactive staff development model is proposed. The model calls for three layers of staff as defined in TESOL's Statement of Core Standards--Administrative, Instructional, and Support--that may mutually enhance one…

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)

We analyse two narratives of teacher-facilitator teams producing elementary science curricula and disseminating them to their peers. We draw on these stories to interpret how teacher-facilitators position themselves with respect to other educators (e.g. peer teachers and development-team members), to real and imagined students and parents, to…

Suggestions for improving teacher assessment of student performance are presented in this paper, with attention to ways in which superintendents can help. Suggested activities include pre- and post-observation conferences, a review of the teacher's plan book, and development of a professional growth plan. Because teachers as a group often lack…

Suggests that child-care practices should also be suited for the developmental level of child-care practitioners. Offers charts and checklists to help practitioners identify their developmental stage. Lists life characteristics and key concerns of age groups ranging from 17 to over 55 years. (JW)

Outcomes and applications of Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) study groups composed of teachers and administrators to investigate a single educational issue and develop a product of use to practitioners are described in this report. Contents include an introduction of the study group as a professional development tool, a discussion of the…

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)

A 10-week training program in a private nonprofit residential treatment program for children and youth was designed to help a treatment team increase its team functioning skills as measured by a pre- and post-training survey of individual and team effectiveness. The treatment program was located in a rural community and served people from eight…

This paper rests on two propositions: that inservice training must radically change to result in the transfer of training to classroom practice, and that inservice training must be embedded in coherent school improvement programs in order for change to be sustained. Accordingly, the first section reviews three recent research studies designed to…

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)

Informal discussions between librarians and information technologists at Indiana University-Bloomington concerning the commonalities of their careers in information evolved into an ambitious collaborative program of professional development. A series of workshops focused on specific current professional challenges. Content emphasized collaboration…