Educational administrators in the future will have to be proactive, anticipatory, and flexible if they are to provide effective leadership. International exchange experiences can offer administrators professional development opportunities for examining administrative issues from different perspectives. (Author/MSE)

Describes the Graduate Urban Education Program collaboratively developed by the school of Education at Florida International University, the Dade County (Florida) Public Schools, and the United Teachers of Dade for teachers in Chapter 1 elementary schools. The program helps teachers apply their professional training sucessfully in the urban…

Reviews historical and ideological roots that developed the teaching profession as a proper role for women. Includes research from a current study investigating the importance of domesticity in the personal and professional attitudes of male and female teachers and the general population of the state of Oklahoma. Includes 13 tables of data. (MD)

The success of the South Carolina Assessment Center Project, the first statewide center, is credited to five basic principles that have guided efforts thus far: (1) establish credibility; (2) pay attention to details; (3) apply safeguards; (4) maintain public support; and (5) make the assessment experience humane. (TE)

Directors, assessors, and participants in various NASSP-accredited assessment centers attest to the value of the experience from their own individual perspectives. Regardless of their performance and subsequent assessment, almost all participants indicate that they learned much about themselves. (TE)

A Nebraska principal describes her experience of a two-day workshop in the assessment center at the University of Nebraska. Both the oral and written feedback helped her formulate long- and short-term goals, increased her skills in conflict resolution and stress management, and improved her classroom observation skills. (TE)

According to a Pennsylvania assessment center director, the assessment center process provides continuous opportunities for professional development and allows for the sharing of concerns and understandings with others across the nation. (TE)

Based on her own experience, a trainer of assessors for the NASSP Assessment Center Project describes the essential skills and practices needed for successful assessor training. She emphasizes the importance of collegiality and mutual respect between trainers and trainees. (TE)

The Michigan Institute for Educational Management's Assessment Center Program is based on evaluation of a candidate's strengths and weaknesses in 12 skill areas. The author, a high school principal, describes personal insights derived from this 12-fold evaluation process. (TE)

"Springfield," a simulation-based development program for those who have completed the NASSP assessment center, works well for 10 reasons: motivation, talent, self-assessment, feedback, specific goals, realistic simulation, behavior modeling, developmental mentors, on-the-job development, and a follow-up seminar. (TE)

Oregon was selected as one of four pilot states to field test the Springfield Simulation. Logistical problems are described, followed by a procedural account of the process: personnel, initial briefing, research packets, the three-day simulation, feedback from mentors, and a follow-up at the end of three months. (TE)

Describes initiatives being taken in 27 states in support of recommendations made by the National Commission on Excellence and the Task Force on Education for Economic Growth. Focuses particularly on teacher rewards, career ladders, and cooperation between schools and business. (KH)

Discusses the professional portfolio as (1) evidence of knowledge and skills gained through prior learning and experience; (2) a placement tool for faculty, and (3) useful in a student's program planning. Describes the concept and development of the portfolio's narrative and documentation sections. Also rates the portfolio's advantages and…

The North Central Regional Advisory Committee (NC RAC) final report provides our assessment of the technical assistance needs of educators in our region. The technical assistance is to be provided by comprehensive centers and directed toward implementing the programs of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and achieving its goals through the use of…

What if you already had thirty-years' experience on your first day as a principal? What if, after 20 years as a principal, you felt as fresh and energized as you did on your first day? Principals need encouragement and revitalization for their school and their careers. Full of simple rules and meaningful insights, this compilation of suggestions…