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…

Questions and answers about staff development examine: what it is; why it is important; what teachers did not learn in college; collaboration; funding; connections between staff development and student learning; indicators of effective staff development; and improving staff development quality. Data come from six key national reports on…

This interview with staff-development expert, Bruce Joyce, discusses the effect of staff development on student achievement, focusing on the importance of teachers and administrators continuously studying what they are implementing, research on how staff development affects student achievement, assessment as part of the process of instruction, the…

Numerous studies indicate that student learning is directly linked to the quality of teaching that occurs in the classroom. School boards can play a vital role in staff development. They should adopt standards for student learning, teaching, leadership, and staff development. Adequate funding and an incentive system that rewards improvements in…

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…

A survey of staff development specialists found that, while a few individuals had formal training for their positions, most learned from informal mentors and role models. Shortcomings in their training are noted, and options for improving professional training are discussed. (PP)

When assessing a staff development program, several factors must be considered, including improvement in student outcomes, content and quality of the staff development program, and organizational climate and culture. Specific suggestions for evaluating program influences on participants, students, and the organization are offered. A multifaceted…

When business management begins to be concerned with its employees, productivity improves. A variety of human resource development programs used in business can be adapted to educational settings. The school staff developer's role is to improve job satisfaction, health, and motivation of staff members. (DF)

Michael Kirst argues that staff developers need to develop a clear set of policy positions and specific strategies to influence policymakers, noting that policymakers have traditionally held staff development in low esteem. The paper presents suggestions for what staff developers can do to further their cause. (SM)

Because of increased emphasis on accountability, program evaluations today must go beyond measures of change in program participants to consider the effects, either direct or indirect, of staff development on students and their learning. A model is presented illustrating the relationship between staff development for teachers and student learning…

Results-driven education, systems thinking, and constructivism are producing profound changes in schools and the conception and implementation of staff development. The paradigm shift is essential for creating learning communities where teachers and administrators collaborate with peers, researchers, and students to make sense of the…

Teachers need focused staff development to improve content knowledge and pedagogy for specific subject areas. An interview with Lee Shulman, professor of education, discusses advantages of content-specific development, noting the important role of case studies and the changes necessary for helping teachers become lifelong students of content and…

When you examine your assumptions about teaching and learning, you may find the barriers to greater achievement aren't what you thought they were. You can learn to be a better leader and understand how one individual can make a difference if you choose to recognize that change begins with you.

The author, a private educational consultant in Michigan, traces the influence of early experiences, positive and negative role models, and various jobs on his career development. As a counselor and teacher trainer, he was particularly concerned with teacher burnout and stress. (PP)

An interview with Robert Garmston, California State University professor, details the cognitive coaching model for supervision or peer coaching of principals, department heads, and teachers. The model is based on the principles that all people can change and therefore develop intellectually, and that teacher performance is based on decision-making…