The Fluency First in English as a second language (ESL) project at City College (New York) began as a result of the high failure rate among ESL writing students at the college, and the fact that this kept many students from entering the regular college courses. Revision on the ESL reading and writing curricula, beginning in 1987, focused on…

A study examined the effectiveness of a staff development program in the Yale (Michigan) public schools, intended to provide professional development to all elementary and secondary language arts teachers about the instruction of writing process and the evaluation of student work. Evaluation of the professional development model included teacher…

This study examined the effects of peer coaching on elementary school teachers' professional attitudes and beliefs. Peer coaching programs are nonevaluative and are based on observation of classroom teaching followed by constructive feedback aimed at improving instructional techniques. An experimental group of teachers (n=23) voluntarily receiving…

Focusing on student success strategies in the community college, this monograph provides a policy statement by the National Council of Instructional Administrators (NCIA) and profiles winners in the NCIA's 1992-93 exemplary program competition. First, the policy statement is provided, defining student success and providing strategies related to…

This investigation monitored the perceived effectiveness of a professional development program, called Facilitating Effective Learning and Teaching, in improving teacher practice. The program assumes that improvement is likely when the participants understand and value the learning process and themselves as learners and teachers. Program…

Since l984, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has been operating the California Mentor Teacher Program (MTP), initiated and supported by the state, to give special help to new or inexperienced teachers and encourage competent teachers to continue teaching. The study reported in these two volumes evaluated program effectiveness and…

A district-based leadership program has been designed to train teachers in self-assessment so they may independently improve their instructional skills. Teachers are trained to analyze their behaviors objectively through the use of audio and videotape. Instruction is also provided in creating and using checklists to assess classroom instruction…

Activities and roles of department heads that can improve departmental and faculty effectiveness were investigated, along with dimensions associated with departmental leadership of chairpersons. In the first of two studies, department heads at four-year institutions were interviewed to identify views of existing conditions in higher education,…

This paper reviews staff development research related to rural schools. Only a limited number of studies have described, or evaluated the effects of, particular staff development programs in rural schools, or have assessed the perceived needs of rural faculty and administrators for inservice training. However, rural educators can draw implications…

A study sought to determine factors and conditions which distinguish effective and less effective staff inservice training. Over 1000 teachers and administrators, who participated in 112 staff inservice projects, were the study subjects. Data was gather by pre- and post-workshop questionnaires. This report presents a summary of the findings on:…

In fall 1984, a study was conducted to identify current instruction-related faculty development practices within Illinois's community colleges and to investigate the methods used to evaluate these practices. Data were collected from faculty development directors, academic administrators, and full-time teaching faculty in a two-stage process.…

Staff development activities for teachers in 20 Teacher Corps projects were analyzed for this report. The primary sources of data were documentation essays and interviews, although self report and demographic questionnaires and training logs were also used. Hypotheses were generated from Teacher Corps Rules and Regulations, research literature,…

This executive summary of a report on the Ways to Improve Schools and Education (WISE) Project study of local school-business collaboration focuses upon the private sector voluntary efforts to help schools become more effective through staff development/inservice education. Topics covered in the report include: (1) rationale for the project; (2)…

An external evaluation was conducted to assess the model for infusing career education and liberal arts education developed at William James College (Michigan). The primary purpose of the evaluation was to assess the broad impact of the career education project on William James College (WJC) and to measure specifically the extent to which WJC…

The first few years of teaching are the most challenging. During these years, teachers are most likely to become discouraged and disillusioned. Yet these early years are also the time when teachers establish practices that last throughout their careers. This book focuses on new teachers' needs while emphasizing high-quality teaching through the…