In 1984-85 the Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Program was conducted in 32 New York City community school districts. A total of 32,387 students in kindergarten through grade 9 participated. Across all districts, 66 percent of the program students met the suggested criterion of 24 or more absences in 1983-84; and an additional 6.4…

This manual provides guidelines and resources for developing a year-long internship program conducted for staff development credit under the joint sponsorship of a college and a school system. The internship carries college credit and is designed for teachers who hold provisional teaching certificates. The first section presents a description of…

The principal's first priority is to take care of himself or herself, next the teachers, then the entire school. Laughter and creativity are emphasized as important tools for principals to use in relieving the stress of their positions. Principals need to understand their jobs, that there are few ready made solutions and no magic formulas. They…

The report summarizes evaluation findings on the Learning Centre, a research and demonstration centre of the Calgary Society for Students with Learning Difficulties. The report addresses evaluation of formal research projects (on such topics as instrumental enrichment with low achieving adolescents); pilot projects (such as an animation film…

One of a series of seven guides to developing the skills of quality circle members, this workbook is intended to introduce participants in creative problem solving workshops to literature on the subject as well as to provide tools for creative problem-solving. Contents include introductory activities, an overview of creative problem-solving, and…

This paper on staff development proposes one dimension of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), Stages of Concern, as a diagnostic tool for use by counselors, administrators, staff developers and other change facilitators who are responsible for the timing and delivery of staff development experiences. A rationale for staff development, the…

This study investigated the effects of Teachers Teaching Teachers, a staff development project employing peer coaching methods, on public school educators' attitudes and beliefs. The 6-month project involved 13 teachers, administrators, and other school personnel in the Southeast Dubois County School Corporation (Ferdinand, Indiana). All…

This study was undertaken to evaluate a training program on understanding Alzheimer's disease for nursing home caregivers of those with the disease. A pretest/posttest design control group methodology was used to evaluate 81 staff members. Results of the study showed that: (1) staff satisfaction with working with mentally impaired and demented…

This brief booklet examines the issue of how to ensure that one gets the best possible return out of attending a human resources or human resources development and training conference. The first section discusses evaluating seminars, expos, and professional conferences and the rationale for attending. A four-year conference planning calendar lists…

Staff development programs aiming to effect meaningful change are often short-lived and fail to promote teacher growth due to (1) lack of teacher control over program content; (2) the difficulty of influencing long-term changes in teachers' classroom behavior; and (3) the problem of documenting behavior change. This paper discusses a…

This guidebook is one in the Target Topic Series developed to highlight issues and concerns related to effective community education operation. It is intended for the community educator who is responsible for working with the community education program staff--both paid and volunteer. A pretest covers material discussed in the guidebook. The…

An evaluation report is presented of the Resident Supervisory Support for Teachers, a peer supervision program designed to improve classroom instruction by training school personnel in concepts and strategies of school supervision, with an emphasis on a peer clinical approach. Participants are trained to help teachers identify their strengths and…

A study examined the impact of assuming the role of action researcher in one's own classroom as an example of inquiry-oriented, professional staff development. The study was a part of a comprehensive, longitudinal investigation of the impact of certain professional development experiences on K-12 classroom teachers. A review of the literature and…

An emphasis on full staff involvement has been the focus of school improvement efforts at Beacon Hill Elementary School in Kelso, Washington. Following a process for improvement through the application of effective schooling research results in instructional programs, the school has involved staff in planning, goal setting, and extensive inservice…

As a professional development tool, coaching is a process of systematic observation of another's instructional behavior with subsequent nonjudgemental feedback. It is a natural follow-up to a recent training event or experience and is extensively used within industrial contexts. Well-trained feedback personnel, including peers, team leaders,…