For 3 years, the State Teacher Education Council (STEC) has studied Maryland's Professional Development Schools (PDSs) movement, first from a theoretical framework and then from an operational perspective, through a series of site visits. This report includes information from the study. Section 1, "Overview of the Collaborations,"…

This document presents an outline of competencies for early childhood directors. The outline consists of a list of seven required abilities, or goals that is divided into sublists of actions the director should perform to meet the competency goals. Directors are expected to possess the ability to: develop and maintain an effective organization;…

This conference proceedings includes two plenary lectures by Celia Hoyles and David Henderson. Papers from working groups deal with teacher growth, dynamic algebra, and the role of proof in post-secondary education. Topic sessions from the conference examine problems, puzzles, and games; the relationships among parents, children, and mathematics;…

In 1997 the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) launched the Austin Collaborative for Mathematics Education (ACME), a project funded by the National Science Foundation to improve mathematics education districtwide. The initiative provides all K-8 mathematics teachers in the district with long-term professional development and…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on organization development and change. "The Effectiveness of Total Quality Management: A Response to the Critics" (Douglas H. Smith, Ralph G. Lewis) identifies four effectiveness principles: customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, speaking with facts, and respect for people. "Fast Cycle…

This resource guide was developed for teachers and administrators interested in participating in intercultural and international exchange programs or starting an exchange program. An analysis of an exchange program's critical elements discusses exchange activities; orientation sessions; duration of exchange; criteria for participation; travel,…

This action plan for reading success calls for educators, policymakers, and others to adopt practices that are consistent with available research on how to teach reading effectively. In early childhood, parents, care providers, and other community members should give children a strong base of cognitive skills related to print, background…

Professional development schools (PDS) offer significant promise for restructuring university-school district relationships around a common agenda of modeling exemplary practice, preparing teachers, and conducting research. Central to the success of such efforts will be the development of shared vision regarding the teaching profession and the…

Though increasing attention has been focused on overcoming basic and functional illiteracy, little attention has been paid to adult literacy educators' professional development. A study identified the education and training needs of Florida's literacy leadership. Instructor and administrator surveys were sent to all agencies receiving funding from…

This document is the second volume of the Adult Literacy Leadership Project, an effort to identify the educational and training needs of Florida's literacy personnel--instructors, administrators, and advisors. This volume contains three background research papers on topics related to the theme of the study used in preparing its analysis and…

This paper explores why and how cases might be used by teacher educators in the professional education of teachers; directs teachers to case materials and relevant articles on case use; suggests guidelines for evaluating cases; and provides a starter set of cases (involving special needs students) that can be photocopied for use in general and…

Findings of a study that examined principals' leadership behaviors in implementing a systemic program for school reform and improvement are presented in this paper. The program, Reaching Success through Involvement (RSI), is an implementation strategy that involves comprehensive assessment and student leader participation. A survey was…

Findings of a study that explored the ways in which teachers' understandings about pedagogy evolve are presented in this paper. Previous teacher development research suggests that teachers' understandings evolve in a lawful, linear way. Although the expression of the different levels is clear, the evolution process is not. Methodology involved a…

This study compared the job satisfaction, professional commitment, and perceived level of support from peers of family day care providers who were in networking groups or who worked in isolation. Subjects were providers in suburban Chicago, 30 of whom were associated with a network and 30 of whom were independent providers. Subjects were surveyed…

Findings of a study that examined the effect of participation in Danforth Foundation-sponsored principal training programs on participants' perceptions of leadership and administrative behaviors are presented in this paper. The field-based program aims to increase minority representation in educational leadership. Interviews, on-site observation,…