A principal can provide support for beginning teachers by gaining specific knowledge of each teacher's curriculum, by developing rapport, and by encouraging teachers in seven key areas. Rapport is built with friendly, solicitous behavior and a lot of listening; it can be destroyed by too much criticism, insensitivity, and aloofness. A principal…

Analysis of a school district where merit pay has existed for 30 years and a more general review of other merit pay proposals led to the disclosure of eight critical issues to be considered before the actual implementation of merit pay programs. (MLF)

Recent statistics show that nationwide about 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within their first six years of teaching. In an effort to encourage the persistence of new teachers and to enhance their productivity and competence in the classroom, many school districts have begun supportive programs for the beginning teacher, known as…

Adversarial collective bargaining often leads to lingering resentments. Collaborative bargaining, conversely, is a problem-solving approach to contract negotiations based on common interests and mutual respect. Recognizing the interrelationship between trust at schools and trust at the bargaining table, a growing number of school districts are…