The 2012-2013 school year represents a pivotal juncture for DC Public Schools. Last spring, Mayor Gray and Chancellor Kaya Henderson introduced "A Capital Commitment," their ambitious plan to dramatically accelerate student achievement in the district over the next five years by providing all of their students with a safe, academically…

Presents a collection of ideas for teachers' professional growth, noting that teachers can brainstorm lists of ideas on their own by considering what they want to learn and how they learn best. Suggestions include being inspired by other teachers in the literature or the movies; studying student work; facing challenges; redesigning units;…

At the Northview Elementary School in Manhattan, Kansas, the position of Assisting Teacher was developed to help teachers handle their work load. The position is filled by an experienced teacher who teaches half time and assists at the building level, with individual teachers, and in professional growth and development the rest of the time.…

Discusses how to engineer more time into the school day for staff development by restructuring staff, using technology, and team teaching. School boards and parents must be given education, information, and results to experiment with these and other options to create time. A sidebar describes how to create a 15-hour block of time for planning or…

The first edition of this book was highly regarded by both professors and students for its practicality and its: (1) coverage of tools & strategies to help supervisors work effectively with teachers; (2) up-to-date approach to clinical supervision which includes teacher portfolios, action research, peer coaching, and other innovative practices;…

Argues that the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is useful for evaluating and guiding staff development within gifted education, explaining use of the CBAM to evaluate reform and professional development revolving around the Schoolwide Enrichment Model. Discusses use of CBAM procedures in conducting focus groups and conferences with teachers,…

Schools and districts must communicate their professional development agendas to teachers and parents so that everyone has the same understanding of the school and/or district perspective. This paper explains what knowledge and opportunities teachers need, what information must be sent home to parents, and how that information can be disseminated…

This paper presents a model that can be used in many settings where there is a need to chart and evaluate continuous professional learning. Every use begins with assessing needs and defining goals for professional growth in context. Vertical movement along a spiral, with continuous support and coaching, indicates expanded capacity and maturation.…

Discusses confrontations which lead to growth in day care teachers. The steps of confrontation discussed include: (1) identifying the problem; (2) describing the desired behavior and how it will come about; (3) determining how the successfulness of the change will be measured. (RJC)

This 19-minute VHS videotape introduces the structured reflection protocol, a tool designed to help teachers learn by working together and by using student work as a beginning point for their learning together. The videotape shows scenes of the structured reflection protocol being used in diverse school settings (elementary, secondary, rural,…

Current demands to prepare students for the 21st century represent a dramatic departure from the mission for which the American system of public education was originally designed. To help educators with these changes, a conceptual framework of strategies in planning for and bringing out essential shifts in philosophy is presented here. The text…

This book shows how learning circles (small groups of learners who come together to support each other in learning) can make great improvements in teaching quality. Teachers can form learning circles based on six key conditions that promote healthy communities of learners and successful professional development. The six conditions are (1) building…

Reviews the types of teacher certification examinations and questions their validity and the procedures used for validating the tests. Includes references. (MD)

A model of teaching qualities is presented to provide teachers with a self-check aimed at improving their effectiveness. The activities and suggestions offered are designed to increase awareness of skills and characteristics of effective teachers. (JMF)

This book explains how to use whole-faculty study groups to get the entire teaching staff working together on one set of organizational goals. Chapter 1 discusses the school reform environment and the potential of whole-faculty study groups to serve as a major change process for improving schools and student learning. Chapter 2 describes the…