This study examined the experiences of a group of American secondary humanities teachers engaged in lesson study. Lesson study (LS) is a teacher-driven, collaborative inquiry process grounded in the realities of the classroom. It is an approach to professional development (PD) that originated in Japan, and has been credited there with contributing…

"The Pentagon is currently undertaking a congressionally mandated Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) of strategy, force structure, missions, and resources. One issue that should be on the table is defining professional military education requirements. The current system is inadequate. The Department of Defense (DOD) should restructure it to…

This newsletter is published four times a year. It focuses on school improvement, organizational planning, training, and managing change. This issue contains: (1) Protocols: A Facilitator's Best Friend (Lois Brown Easton); (2) NSDC Tool: Wagon Wheel; (3) NSDC Tool: Three Levels of Text; and (4) NSDC Tool: Success Analysis Protocol.

This newsletter is published four times a year. It offers articles on school improvement, organizational planning, training, and managing change. This issue contains: (1) Link Up & Learn: Use Technology to Create a Personal Learning Network to Connect with Experts and Mentors Everywhere (Valerie von Frank); (2) NSDC Tool: Get Connected with…

In this rejoinder, I first provide a more detailed account of the discourse-focused professional development activities facilitated as part of the SMIT'N program, specifically addressing issues raised by van Zee with regard to the institute's overall format, goals and development strategies. Next, I resort to Peter Medawar's metaphorical view of…

When the author attended a leadership conference last year, she started to reflect on her own situation. In this article, the author reflects on her experience and her role as a library media specialist who wants to be a leader in her school. However, to be a leader in a school, one has to offer a set of skills and abilities that others aren't…

The person of the teacher is an essential element in what constitutes professional teaching and therefore needs careful conceptualisation. In this article the author argues for this central thesis, presenting a wrap up of his theoretical and empirical work on the issue over the past decade. These studies have been inspired--both conceptually and…

Should teachers sacrifice class time for professional development? Two authors present their arguments to this question. The first author contends that teachers should definitely use class time for professional development. Technology is changing and growing all the time, and it is their job to prepare students for the world they will inherit.…

Creating schools that are culturally responsive and successful with all students requires doing basic work with educators to uncover their beliefs about children. If school leaders believe, like many people do, that changed behavior will result in changed beliefs, they are mistaken. Leaders must be proactive in identifying what teachers believe…

Data on student achievement are increasingly being used to support effective policy and practice, and to move education systems towards more evidence-informed approaches to large-scale improvement. In this paper, we outline strategies used in Ontario, Canada to create, enhance and apply a range of data to support educational improvement. These…

The authors' experiences with improvement efforts, particularly those which failed to be fully implemented, cause them to wonder if other approaches to improvement will increase their potential for success. They conclude that principles--powerful beliefs that underlie actions--are essential to sustained system and school improvement. Over the…

Well-designed leadership development is essential in school systems that desire high-quality teaching and learning for all students in all classrooms. Significant change throughout the system requires that leaders first change their own beliefs, understanding, and actions. "Real time" professional learning for leaders is very different from the…

The importance of teachers' influence is confirmed by a recent survey the author and his colleagues conducted of more than 300 teachers and administrators representing a mix of urban, rural, and suburban schools. In analyzing responses to an open-ended question about the greatest influences on respondents' professional practice, they found that…

Collaboration is critical for accomplishing difficult tasks. As with a kitchen remodel, shared responsibility and collegiality toward a common goal of increased student learning begin with a shared vision. In this article, the author discusses the importance of collaboration and how it guides and reinforces the work one does in schools.

Interdisciplinary work within higher education has increased significantly over past decades (Amey 2004; Creamer and Lattuca 2005). However, the professional implications of interdisciplinary research and instruction for the faculty members who engage in such academic work remain unclear. This study of science educators who hold appointments in…