The author spends a lot of time thinking about good professional learning vs. typical professional development. Based on her 20-plus years of experience, as well as a bit of inspiration from Reuben Duncan, assistant superintendent in School Administrative Unit 29 in Keene, N.H., she shares what she considers to be the ten best ways to waste…

Argues that language learning is a very useful metaphor for exploring new dimensions of teacher development. The notion is that, when the processes of language acquisition and the context in which it occurs are examined closely, important lessons can be learned for creating a more effective culture for the professional growth of teachers. (GLR)

This article provides a rationale for new types of teacher induction programs, a description of an innovative small-group process that provides beginning teachers with peer support, and a brief summary of quantitative and qualitative results obtained from implementing support groups for novice teachers. (IAH)

Recent developments in Ontario, Canada, are used to identify and discuss issues related to teacher induction and teacher education reform efforts in North America. (Author)

This article describes services the staff development system will need to be successful, presenting the structures for governance and organization and illustrating the interface of the system with the needs of individuals, professionals, schools, and school districts in curriculum, instruction, and technology. (SM)

Describes a model for exploring the multidimensional relationship between staff development and improvements in student learning. The model is based on the premise that the quality of staff development is influenced by many factors, including content characteristics, process variables, and context characteristics. (SM)