To reduce teacher isolation and encourage sharing of expertise, schools should consider brief workshops or 15-minute "micro-shops" on various topics ranging from making electrical circuit boards to setting up a salt-water aquarium. This article and accompanying sidebar discuss benefits and set-up strategies. (MLH)

Some staff development and organization development practices that can profoundly influence teacher attitudes and behaviors include having a clear school vision, establishing collegiality and experimentation norms, displaying a collaborative attitude, using staff development research, varying staff development format, encouraging faculty…

The vision for teacher and student development portrayed in the recent National Commission on Teaching and America's Future report does not match classroom reality. A school's compelling vision and stretch goals demand professional development that is results-driven, standards-based, school-focused, job-embedded, matched to desired instructional…

Inclusion-oriented schools should define their philosophy, form a committee, develop a written plan, provide early staff development, review children's individual needs, develop program modifications, and prepare parents and students. During the second year, schools should implement a pilot program, provide ongoing staff development, and evaluate…

Job-embedded, mentor-dependent learning modes, such as action research, small-group problem solving, and peer observation, can be effective alternatives to conventional inservice education approaches. Well-designed teacher induction programs depend on creating a comprehensive plan, looking for knowledgeable mentor trainers, providing mentors with…

New computers often collect dust in the classroom. Too much technology planning concentrates on hardware and software, to the detriment of staff development. An Arizona principal developed a successful inservice plan for teachers involving basic training, intensive small-group training sessions, and creation of certified resident experts in…

The revived interest in multiage and looping (multiyear) classrooms addresses today's children's needs for a long-term, caring, learning environment. Although these practices are not panaceas, they are time-effective and instructionally efficient, allowing for continuous learning and less repetition, when teachers have adequate support, training,…