Reflects on the study of literary themes in a reform to develop "thinking based curricula" for lower income urban youth. Mentions the need to broaden students' worlds and discusses implications for middle grades teacher education. Suggests the need for preservice teachers to have plenty of ongoing workshop practice in shaping and critiquing…

Discusses how connecting instruction, professional development, and student learning can make the difference between successful and unsuccessful data use. Uses a case-study approach to show that by acknowledging that implementation occurs over time, schools can safeguard against discarding new instructional practices prematurely. (Contains one…

Challenges librarians to create midlife leaves that will inspire professional growth and renewal and help define future career directions. Presents a framework for developing a successful leave based on experiences at Concordia University (Montreal) and offers examples of specific options, including internships, exchanges, conferences, community…

Provides overview of purposes and formats for student portfolio development. Highlights history of the portfolio process at the University of Dayton (UD), illustrates how UD education faculty prepare middle school teachers to collect evidence using National Middle School Association guidelines and the PRAXIS III framework, to be used for assessing…

Replicated Everett's (1980) survey of Approved Supervisors of American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Found significant differences in today's supervision including increase in female supervisors, shift toward systemic theoretical orientation, more supervisors in formal training settings, increase in video recording usage,…

Discusses the concept of reflective practice developed by Donald Schon in 1983. Presents the questions explored in the five articles contained in this issue. Introduces each article and discusses the topics and recommendations provided by each article. (JS)

The pyramid training model was evaluated as a means to teach six supervisors and aides working with profoundly retarded adults the training skills of increasing assistance prompt hierarchy and specific praise in developing clients' daily living skills. Providing training to supervisors resulted in improved training skills for them and subsequently…

Describes how a teacher achieved professional renewal through teaching adult education class in a federal prison. Notes that it may be easier to create hospitable space and a sense of community in an inmate classroom than in any other kind. (RS)

Discusses staff development, examining data from a project involving the University of Houston and seven schools. Teacher interviews revealed five dimensions of school context affecting opportunities for their professional development (interpersonal, structural, individual, leadership, and synergistic). (SM)

The University of Vermont's approach to collaboration in professional development has been to establish specific schools as field sites. By sharing perspectives, knowledge, and resources, the schools and university can enrich practice for preprofessional students, professional teachers, and professors of education, with programs evolving in…

A long-term inservice project, involving collaboration among teachers, consultants, and a researcher and resulting in development of materials for a core French curriculum, is described. The features of cooperation and extended duration are seen as contributing to the project's success. (Author/MSE)

Through its Commonwealth Partnership, Pennsylvania secondary school and college teachers have created alliances on several bases, including mutual excitement about new, professional discoveries and communicating that excitement to students. (Author/MSE)

Interdisciplinary teams of middle school faculty are fulfilling roles which serve academic, social, and emotional needs of students. The team coordinates procedures and shares information about teaching and about students. Evidence shows this style of team teaching may be appropriate in high schools if traditional departmental barriers can be…

A collaborative arrangement between education and business could have benefits for both. Schools could learn about fiscal accountability, empowering subordinates, and corporate culture from businesses. Business leaders could learn from school leaders about how people acquire knowledge, professional development, and remotivating the unproductive…

Through a questionnaire survey of 267 school districts, the actual practices of United States school districts identified as having outstanding staff development programs were compared with those of randomly-selected school districts. Discrepancies and similarities are discussed, along with support needs for instructional improvement. (SLD)