By coupling the creative synergy of a school's staff with some field-tested planning strategies, any advisory program can be improved and focused on students' concerns. This article describes a middle school's efforts to link thematic units for learning with advisement opportunities. Step-by-step lesson plans for exploring stereotypical…

Survey data from 21 otolaryngologists (70 percent return rate) and 32 speech-language pathologists (46 percent return rate) in Maine found differences in opinions between the 2 professional groups concerning referral patterns and treatment of vocal nodules in children and adults. Attitudinal problems were found to hamper a teamwork approach for…

The article reviews the use of paraprofessionals in special education programs and offers specific guidance on hiring (including preemployment orientation, vocational assessment, and interviewing); training and supervision (including roles and responsibilities, the importance of regular cooperative planning, and enhancing job status); and…

Describes a team as a group of people energized by their ability to work together, fully committed to high-level output, and concerned with each others' feelings. Examines barriers to team building, contrasts teams with committees, and describes the characteristics and functions of effective team builders. (DMM)

Representing English, history, geography, science, graphic arts, intermediate special education, physical and health education, and environmental studies, six Ontario (Canada) teachers cooperating on an integrated curriculum project found that their "separate" subject areas came together naturally in a theme approach to teaching. Success…

This article describes a program called Blind FOCUS, in which the medical community and rehabilitation services cooperate to provide integrated services to people with diabetes who become visually impaired, in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. (DB)

Mainstreaming students with disabilities into regular physical education classes is becoming standard practice. Successful mainstreaming involves a multidisciplinary team approach. Physical educators must be involved in the multidisciplinary team process, helping with student evaluation and planning. The paper explains how to encourage teamwork.…

Explores the implementation of total quality management in the maintenance and operations department of an upstate New York school district. Four figures illustrate the problem-solving process. (MLF)

An annual business/industry survey showed a 15% increase in the number of people receiving formal training. Top five methods were videotape, lecture, one-on-one, role plays, and simulations. Training focused on management, computer, communication, supervisory, and technical skills. Percentage of employers providing remedial education remained…

Discusses insights gained from observations of cross-functional computer-based team planning in a variety of enterprises. Observations involved over 2000 participants in 100 planning efforts over a period of six years. Efforts focused on the planning of new products or processes, development of strategic business plans, and consensus building…

When academic advisers are trained in the principles and practices of team-centered developmental advising, as at Valencia Community College (Florida), and interventions create the expectation for student success, advisers are better equipped to teach students to approach their education in purposeful ways. Technology that delivers accurate,…

Examines characteristics of teamwork in modern organizations and workplaces in order to extrapolate the means for transferring teamwork skills to technology education. Discusses teamwork in education, team development, communication skills, interpersonal skills, team decision making, role assignment and leadership, and evaluation of team…

Two elementary teachers teamed up to help colleagues develop classroom strategies to use with children suffering from attention deficit disorders. From a pilot test conducted with other volunteer teachers, they developed a systematic process featuring teacher-request consultation forms, strategy searches, action plans, implementation, and followup…

Describes "Reaching for the Stars," a program which develops teaming and mentoring skills in senior physics students. Phase 1 requires student pairs to design a rocket; Phase 2 pairs seniors with gifted second graders who build the rocket from written instructions; and in Phase 3, pairs of seniors create a children's storybook explaining…

A study examined the effectiveness of an instruction-support team (IST) process to provide prereferral assessment and intervention for 492 at-risk students in Pennsylvania. Results indicated that students supported by IST had greater levels of academic performance only when their schools implemented the IST process to a high degree. (Author/CR)