This article discusses the increasing use of paraprofessionals in special education and addresses the following five areas: the role of paraprofessionals, the impact of the proximity of paraprofessionals on students with disabilities, the impact of paraprofessionals on teacher engagement, the importance of professional recognition, and strategies…

The "Teaching/Learning Project" at Miami-Dade Community College (Florida), a process of dramatic institution-wide change, is described, focusing on the leadership, collaboration, and coordination required to bring about desired changes. Examination of leadership roles include those of the change agent (project director), champion…

Student affairs administrators representing four types of institutions were interviewed to determine the role that religio-spirituality plays in their professional lives. Results reveal that most desire more freedom to express this aspect of their identity in that it has a salient impact in how they work with students. However, several reasons are…

This paper examines the interactions between literacy teachers and instructional leaders and their effects on students' reading achievement gains. The results of this study have implications for how instructional leaders work with colleagues and how these relationships may impact student achievement. Forty-two suburban elementary and middle school…

This article critically examines the compatibility of United Arab Emirates culture and values with the assumptions of reflective practice currently being written into a new teacher education degree programme. The curriculum that is being developed relies heavily on the notions of reflective practice as a method of professional development. The…

The context of this article is the emergence of a new orthodoxy of interprofessional collaboration and multidisciplinary practice in the caring professions. Several current policy initiatives in Scotland, especially in relation to services for children, illustrate this trend, which is evident on an international scale. The article considers the…

Many early childhood educators feel they must implement programs that conflict with their understanding of best practice. Some teachers are saddened and some even decide to leave schools in which administrators are not open to dialogue, challenge, and reflection. But there is hope in taking action. This article is about action and activism because…

This book invites readers to contemplate careers in administrative leadership. Drawing from knowledge acquired as president of Kansas State University, and from his multifarious experiences at other universities and in government service, the author takes the reader through the cycle of a presidency--from the decision to apply, to life after…

This report describes the Teacher Work Group Project to help teachers of students with severe disabilities learn about new teaching practices and implement them in the classroom. Teacher Work Groups (TWGs) were formed at week-long summer institutes and the groups subsequently met during the school year to apply the strategies and learning in the…

Increasing attention to mentoring in the teaching profession in recent years has been accompanied by a proliferation of programs, literature and expertise related to experienced teachers helping new teachers. To assess the extent to which there is a common set of functions performed by teacher mentors, a two-phase study of mentoring was…

As school districts move toward collaborative school improvement, reform leaders recognize that most school personnel have had little training or experience working within schools on organized decision making teams. Teachers and staff members are being required to negotiate with each other in the process of making organizational decisions--a new…

Designed to help those who develop and implement formal mentoring programs find relevant information, this publication summarizes 80 books and articles selected from the practical and academic literature. Section 1 is an annotated bibliography of the 80 works representative of the available published literature on formal mentoring programs within…

Many school districts and schools find that they have an incomplete understanding of site-based management (SBM). This guidebook provides a systemwide approach to site-based management, using SBM as a strategy for school improvement and increased student success rather than for managing the status quo. It identifies nine essential perspectives and…

Although experiential education is really the oldest approach to learning, its practitioners have not had an easy time justifying its relevance in the modern educational world. Recent changes in the methodologies of evaluation have provided useful tools for experiential educators. Such tools can be used to refine programming, enhance student…

Effective organizational communication can greatly enhance the quality of the school environment and professional/personal relationships. This book focuses on successful communication skills that can help make the school environment a productive experience for administrators, school staff, students, and parents. Chapter 1 discusses the importance…