Use of a tangible reinforcer plus social reinforcement was found to be more effective in training a 33-year-old male with profound mental retardation to brush his teeth than social reinforcement alone. Determination of true positive reinforcers and training staff members to carry out such treatment programs are also discussed. (Author/VW)

Staff development, usually geared to the least common denominator and confined to formal leader and staff behavior, needs to be replaced with human development, an informal, interactive process to improve teaching, management, and leadership skills; self-understanding; and political and cultural savvy. Five teacher career stages are suggested as…

This article shares some of the strategies and activities that the author believes will improve the connections between independent career education and the world of work. These activities concern school business cooperation, student motivation, student involvement, staff involvement, community and government relations, and career planning and…

Presents child care-related work experiences and training, teaching activities, and recurrent problems in the provision of child care as reported in a survey of 266 family day care providers in Texas. Results indicated training needs. Some Texas family day caregiver training programs are briefly described. (NH)

Many labor unions do not encourage organizing efforts among minorities; District Council 37 is an exception. This union became a pacesetter for change as it opened new opportunities for women trapped in dead end, menial jobs. Black women were urged to move into positions of leadership in the union. (VM)

To assist teachers in fulfilling their responsibilities in desegregated schools, staff development should aim at the willingness of teachers to implement changes in instructional strategies, classroom management techniques, and teacher-student relationships. Describes one such inservice teacher training effort and makes several recommendations for…

This study of 18 high school teachers focuses on personal dimensions of the change process and on teacher concerns about using microcomputers in the classroom. Stages of Concern Questionnaire and interviews were used to design a staff development model consisting of inservice activities that addressed teacher's concerns about computers.…

This article proposes an ecological model of human development as a framework for teacher development in the schools. It argues that an ecological perspective contains the necessary characteristics and criteria to provide both for school-based teacher development opportunities and for clinical research grounded in teaching practice. (TE)

A model demonstration project to meet the needs of elderly mentally retarded individuals in a rural state was designed as a complementary, collaborative endeavor among service providers from the aging, mental retardation, and generic service system networks in Mississippi. Continuous training of staff members across networks was emphasized. (JW)

Suggests that if the quality of education and the school environment are going to improve, more attention must be paid to developing leadership skills in administrators and school principals. (JC)

The context of staff development programs should be selected from options promising substantial increases in student learning and aptitude. This article introduces the "effect size" concept and reviews recent research on teaching models (cooperative learning, information-processing models, synectics, nondirective teaching, and DISTAR). Includes 55…

This article describes findings from an analysis of principal leadership behavior and activities in 32 urban high schools. The study examined the extent of leadership, the areas in which principals provide leadership, as well as school and district conditions that may be related to the leadership role of principals. (Author/MT)

Discusses coaching programs designed to give direct supervision and feedback to teachers through on-site support and technical assistance. Three coaching models cited are peer, mentor, and technical. States that research demonstrates benefits to teachers being coached, to teachers acting as coaches, and to schools. (NH)

A literature review emphasizes the role of stress on teacher morale and leads to a description of an "inoculation" program used with beginning secondary school teachers which helps them to cope with common stressors. (Author/CB)

Inservice courses based on commonality of skills, and using management science, are an effective way to meet the present needs for and difficulties with inservice teacher education in Ireland. Examples of modules based on management science are included. (Author/CB)