This paper reports the results of a national survey that investigated the scope and nature of professional development practices in gifted education used in 1,231 school districts across the country. Professional development was defined on the survey as a planned program of learning opportunities to improve the performance of the administrative…

Mentoring programs have consistently demonstrated their value in assisting new and early faculty members to make successful adjustments and productive contributions to the academy. Yet, mentoring programs have failed to be consistently implemented despite their efficacy and increasing levels of job dissatisfaction reported by new and early faculty…

In this paper are discussed recent efforts to provide preservice mathematics teachers with opportunities to connect elementary teaching methods and content with the content and methods of secondary school mathematics. Through an in-depth exploration of the game, Shut the Box, preservice elementary and secondary mathematics teachers thoughtfully…

These articles and essays offer viewpoints from practitioners and researchers who are doing and using research for the advancement of education. Articles include: (1) The Promise of Scientific Evidence in Education (Steven Nelson); (2) A New Day for Mathematics Education? (Denise Jarrett Weeks); (3) A Tale of Two Schools: Reading Instruction in…

One out of every two new teachers will quit teaching within five years; however, studies show that comprehensive induction programs can slash attrition rates in half and dramatically accelerate the professional development of new teachers. This book combines an overview of the current state of induction and mentoring with cutting-edge strategies…

Educators often overlook the largest body of evidence of student performance: student work. With careful and deliberate examination of various sources of student work, teachers can gather a wealth of information about student achievement and about their own instructional practices. Examining student work is not about grading or scoring papers. It…

A qualitative study was conducted interviewing eleven teachers and artists about their classroom experiences during artist residencies in participating schools. A conversation, from the vantage point of the teacher and artist, was created in both a narrative and a video product revealing the confines and collaborations present during artist…

This paper reports on the preliminary results of an ongoing long-term study of the role of coaches from the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) in facilitating whole-school reform. The paper also presents a glimpse into the work of coaches at a very specific time in their work, both with schools and in their own understanding of coaching. The…

This paper describes a school-based professional development project for elementary teachers where all teachers from the school and university mathematics educators regularly met to share and plan mathematics teaching strategies for the school's diverse student body. Analysis of data from focus group interviews with participating teachers revealed…

These two manuals provide instructors and participants with a curriculum designed to facilitate collaborative and constructive relationships among teachers and special educators as they direct the work of paraeducators in the delivery of services to students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. The course is intended to require approximately…

This booklet discusses the development of Professional Development Schools (PDSs), which are functioning public schools where school and university personnel collaborate to create exemplary learning environments capable of transforming both teacher preparation and pre-K-12 schooling. Benefits of PDSs include opportunities for school teachers and…

This study evaluated two developmental learning communities, named the Integrated Studies Communities ISC, at Parkland College in Illinois. The primary purpose of the study was to compare the students in the ISC with similar underprepared students in the regular curriculum. The ISC offers four linked courses, and participating students take them…

This paper describes a program of master's level professional development for experienced educators, discussing school change, teacher leadership, and reculturing of curriculum and schools. The program emphasizes integration of theory and practice, defining curriculum in ways that accord teachers their rightful place in curriculum leadership. It…

This guide is designed to help mentor teachers develop effective mentoring strategies, discussing how to provide direct assistance, demonstration teaching, observation, and feedback, informal contact, and role modeling. It offers monthly listings of activities designed to promote interaction between mentors and proteges that correspond to…

This brief defines school capacity as the presence of characteristics needed to support the development of a thriving learning community. The literature on school improvement suggests that a school's capacity for improvement can be supported by coherent structures, constructive teacher and leadership practices, and positive staff perceptions of…