This guide presents an advisory program for middle schools. The program is designed for groups of 10 to 15 students meeting twice a week; the advisors should be adults from within the school (teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, etc.). The program has four goals: (1) to promote students' sense of belonging within the school; (2) to…

Effective professional development of teachers is a critical concern that must be viewed holistically, considering equally the needs of the jurisdiction, the school, and the individual. A review of recent literature suggests four distinct types of teacher development: preservice training, curriculum related inservice, jurisdictional issue related…

Recent statements by educators and child development specialists support the contention that a child's developmental maturity is the key predictor of success in school. Possible modifications of student placement policies are considered, including establishment of transitional programs for kindergarten graduates not fully ready for first grade.…

A study is described that scientifically validates the common assumption that travel and exchange programs abroad are educationally beneficial. A questionnaire was used to ascertain which areas of students' lives had benefitted from overseas experience. (TE)

How can a principal create opportunities for teacher learning that really work to support teachers with different needs and preferences? There is wide agreement that the best teacher development is informal, diverse, democratic, school-based, and continuous. The best programs ignite and sustain teachers' excitement in learning, growing, and…

Reports on a study of teacher burnout among 160 Swiss secondary teachers. Finds that teacher-student relationships are the most frequently mentioned reason for burnout, followed by feelings of being trapped in school routine and personal difficulties. Discusses the impact of burnout episodes on a teacher's career. (CFR)

This paper provides a description of the Minority Graduate Fellowship Program created by the School of Education, Human Services and Humanities at the West Virginia Graduate College. The program's purpose is to increase the minority presence within its faculty, recruit minorities to this geographical area, and to assist young professionals with…

This fifth volume of a six-volume study of a school district code-named "Milford" sketches life histories and careers of the school's original faculty some 15 years after the school was founded. Section I outlines the study's problems and procedures; describes the faculty as a group of true believers initially characterized by humor, inexperience,…

Research in staff development and in teacher career development provides useful information so that staff development programs can be tailored to accommodate teachers' needs at different career stages. Findings of studies on staff development have identified characteristics of successful inservice programs. Collaboration between all participants…

Reviews breakthrough studies in the development of higher mental processes. These studies include: (1) influences on talent development; (2) the relative effects of tutoring, mastery learning, and conventional group instruction on student achievement; (3) the importance of cognitive prerequisites; (4) textbook organization; and (5) methods of…

A program of incentives must respond to the various aspirations faculty members have at different stages of their careers. Careful monitoring and interpretation of changes in faculty ability, interest, and behavior can aid the institution in improving the person-environment fit. (Author/MSE)

"Crosstown," the television program featured in this videotape and teaching guide, depicts a teenager who is forced, due to her father's lack of child support payments, to leave her comfortable home four years after her parents' divorce and to move across town to an apartment in an inner city neighborhood. The teenager decides not to be…

College and university advancement managers offer these keys to motivating employees: open communication, acknowledgement of management style, team building, encouragement of innovation, spreading opportunities broadly, promoting personal growth, creating reward systems, evaluating fairly, and strong leadership. (MSE)

Asserts that traditional age-stage theory of visual art education is simplistic and misleading. Suggests that neoteny, the retention of juvenile-like traits in adults, may provide another means of linking human development to the visual arts. Concludes that the inherent neotenous aspects of art can make a contribution to successful aging. (CFR)

Focuses on the importance of developing public appreciation for and association with the law. Argues that positive incentives to abide by the law are consistent with democratic values and supported by learning theories and child development research. Concludes that democracy works best when its citizens act according to their own will. (CFR)