This book address a major gap in the current mentoring programs at the secondary level. Staff development resources are often concentrated on helping new teachers be successful in their early school experience. Yes, a good idea, but a limited vision. Meanwhile many veteran teachers go without the mentoring assistance they need to be effective…

The paper surveys the planning necessary for effective inservice education for early childhood special education staff. A definition is offered, followed by an outline of general assumptions and guidelines. Next, a planning approach consisting of four interrelated phases is described: support and start-up, initial planning, program design, and…

This highly practical guide is grounded in the authors' experience setting up and running a successful professional development program to improve K-3 reading instruction. The book systematically describes how professional development works: how sessions are organized, what they contain, routines and procedures, and the roles of each participant.…

In this digest the functions of an administrator in gifted and talented education are explored. Administrators are seen to have responsibilities in awareness of the students, in community, and the curriculum. Among specific tasks outlined for administrators are developing plans for continuing identification of gifted students, ensuring that…

Use of building-level teacher assistance teams (TATs) to provide suggested alternative instructional strategies and support services to regular teachers with problem learners prior to referral to special education is discussed in terms of relationship to special education, purposes, organization and operation, staff training, attitudinal issues,…

Proposes the use of an adaptive inservice model, which describes the mechanisms by which educational change and professional growth occur. Argues that to implement effective inservice programs based on the adaptive model, the program must be systematic, long-term, and guided by a common set of goals and expectations. (FL)

Chapters in this guide provide practical guidance and useful information and resources relating to important aspects of faculty development, from setting up a faculty development program to assessing teaching practices. The chapters are: (1) "Faculty, Instructional, and Organizational Development: Options and Choices" (Robert M. Diamond); (2) "Ten…

Staff development programs and activities are common methods of stimulating change in the behavior of educators. These programs may be designed for a number of purposes, including (1) problem-solving within the local school or district; (2) remediation to develop work-related skills; (3) motivation to change and improve staff; and (4) development…

Outlines criteria for system of professional teacher development/retraining: provides for system/individual needs; includes retraining and ongoing development; is cooperative, integrated, accessible; uses principles of adult education; incorporates teacher involvement; and addresses real classroom needs. Considers obstacles of money, skills,…

This publication provides a step-by-step guide to help schools and districts implement strong, sustainable professional development that drives achievement of student learning goals. The toolkit is based on the experiences of national professional development award winning schools and districts. The most common thread among the winners is that…

This article examines critical staff development issues that must be addressed if cooperative learning is to produce quality implementation across classrooms. Staff development programs should consider teacher ownership and governance, teachers' levels of concern regarding education innovation, formats for training, relevance of ecological impact,…

This handbook is designed to assist staff development committees in planning and conducting effective staff development programs. Administrative rules governing the establishment of staff development programs are set forth and clarified. A model for staff development describes the following steps for developing a program: (1) establish a board…

This guide is the result of a 2-year initiative, Results-Based Staff Development for the Middle Grades. It provides information and resources for selecting, designing, and evaluating staff development to improve student achievement. It targets school staff development committees, principals, staff development leaders, and curriculum coordinators.…

This paper describes the Oklahoma Statewide Training and Regional Support (STARS) program, a system of early intervention inservice training developed to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part H. Major challenges included identification of technical assistance needs, facilitation of training attendance, identification…

The Idaho State Department of Education has mandated a professional growth requirement for all certified educators and requires school districts to develop and implement a professional development plan. This handbook is designed to assist in the implementation of these requirements. The following topics are addressed: (1) professional development,…