This practicum project used organized professional development to increase involvement of teachers at a preK-8 school in the school's reform process. All members of the school community actively participated in planning, data collecting, and sharing of pertinent reform information. The 3-month staff development intervention consisted of three…

This practicum developed a program to enhance the job performance of support personnel (behavior modification technicians) who work with students having conduct disorders. The behavior modification technicians provided building-level support for principals and teachers working with black adolescents from socially deprived backgrounds. Inservice…

The formation of a consortium of three elementary schools was proposed and initiated to offer inservice teacher education experiences to 45 staff members. The consortium schools shared resources to increase the scope and quality of staff development activities. A staff development program was designed to meet both group (institutional) and…

The rapport among teachers can be a significant determinant of educational quality and workplace atmosphere. A practicum project sought to improve professional communication among staff at an urban, public elementary school where teachers did not have opportunities to meaningfully interact with one another. The staff in this school consisted of a…

This practicum involved an effort to improve the quality of infant/toddler care and education in a family dayhome setting. An attempt was made to increase the dayhome administrator's and parents' knowledge of infant/toddler development, age appropriate curriculum/material selection and parent/school communication. Direct observation of family…

Cree culture emphasizes non-interference in the affairs of others and delaying actions until the "right time." These values were an obstacle to developing proactive interventions in two adolescent group homes in Cree Territory, in northern Quebec. Group home houseparents and child care workers were native Crees chosen for their…

The purpose of this staff development practicum was to improve the quality of infant and toddler group caregiving by increasing caregivers' knowledge of infant and toddler development and care needs. As a result of the intervention, a healthier, safer, and more stimulating environment for babies was expected; in addition, more professional…

This practicum addressed the need to provide training in basic early childhood education subject areas to Head Start teachers and teacher assistants. A trainer of trainers approach was implemented because of the large number of teachers involved (approximately 1,300 in the Los Angeles County Schools Head Start grantee programs). Goals for…

The racial composition of participants in a Florida crisis intervention agency's programs indicated that, among the population at risk, black youth were overrepresented in State delinquency and child welfare programs and underrepresented in the agency's intervention services. This practicum was designed to enhance the agency's ability to reach…

This practicum identified an inability of staff to facilitate play among students with diverse abilities in an inclusive preschool setting, and presented staff training projects to improve such facilitative skills. Because the staff lacked knowledge regarding play characteristics, functions, and categories needed to provide necessary interventions…

An in-house staff development program was designed and implemented for unskilled child caregivers employed at Tiny Tots Educare Academies, Inc., a privately owned and operated child care center located in Ellenton, Florida. Employees had little knowledge of child development and other topics related to early childhood education and, therefore,…

This practicum addressed the problem of inadequate teacher preparation in the area of learning theory, content, and methodology related to mathematical instruction of children attending a private child care center in Oakland, California. The general goal of the study was to plan, implement, and evaluate a staff development program to increase…

In an effort to more effectively and efficiently administer Title III funds received for faculty, staff, and administrator development activities, the Northern Maine Technical College (NMTC) created a professional activities handbook for distribution to all college employees. This practicum report details the procedures undertaken in developing…

This practicum study assessed the formation of The Western Pennsylvania Fetal Alcohol Support and Information Network, established to provide assistance to foster and adoptive families of children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAS/E). Priorities for the network were: (1) increasing awareness and knowledge of FAS/E issues…

In the past, the communication and paperwork structure between K-12 magnet/choice programs and the district-wide program administration was not efficient. In particular, the student application, selection, and notification processes were time-consuming, and did not enable school-based personnel to communicate effectively with district…