Secondary educators can create blocks of time for teachers and students to study and learn so teachers can enjoy professional growth opportunities without sacrificing students' instructional time. The article provides a scheduling plan, explaining how to modify schedules to offer teachers extended planning or development periods on a rotating…

Notes that early care and education professionals interact with many adults, and that the quality of these interactions can be central to the effectiveness of their role. Lists resources for developing effective adult communication skills. (ET)

Discusses research regarding the use of writing portfolios in writing classrooms. Explores how the results of such research might inform teachers and administrators interested in designing teacher evaluations using teacher portfolios. Presents seven principles for ensuring growth among teachers using portfolios for assessment. (HB)

Teacher evaluation should consider the curriculum element; that is, teachers should be evaluated in terms of making clear what content they want students to learn and at what level of function they want the content handled. Guidelines are suggested for conducting the evaluation and for evaluating the evaluation process. (SM)

Describes the results from a recent study of school professional-development programs nationwide, which found that schools with effective programs consistently devoted time and energy to ensuring readiness among staff members by fostering five types of readiness: cultural, conceptual, personal, political, and resource readiness. A sidebar presents…

How educators think about and use time is woven into school cultures. School leaders must learn to read the culture and focus staff development on cultural issues affecting how people use time. This paper discusses cultures that nurture and wound and describes how to shape more nurturing cultures (read the school's culture, assess views of time,…

Block scheduling can help high school principals become staff-development leaders. It gives teachers more time to help individual students and contributes to improved achievement, attendance, and graduation rates. This paper describes the results of research on block scheduling in urban high schools and concludes that block scheduling can support…

Presents a narrative using the metaphors of "hard" and "soft" to raise and discuss questions about pedagogy and the institutional settings of college writing instruction. Analyzes transformations that have occurred in the author's teaching practices in relation to the feminization of composition and an "ethic of care." (SG)

Offers strategies teachers can use to keep their teaching fresh. Discusses what gives teachers energy and what takes away energy. Notes that when teachers had strong emotional connections with colleagues their teaching energy was high. (SG)

Outlines the usefulness of a book club for elementary school teachers and reading supervisors on the topic of the teaching of reading. Discusses choosing topics for discussion, organizing the club, and forming a community of learners. Stresses the importance of reading across the curriculum. Argues that such a reading club can also assist teachers…

Explores the multi-faceted interventions schools must evolve if they are to make significant headway in addressing barriers to learning. Reviews how schools currently address barriers to learning, discusses deficiencies in current approaches, and outlines work designed to provide a new conceptual and programmatic framework for policy and practice,…

Describes the development of a program that incorporates materials for 8 productions with an interest in: opening the doors to theatre by using dramatic working materials; building a bridge between the education institution and the art institution; and expanding educational understanding and repertoire by learning art production processes. (SC)

Reflective teachers look at classroom problems from many perspectives and consider others' viewpoints when they choose instructional strategies. Reflection is beginning to be treated as an essential part of a teacher's repertoire. Sidebars recount an exercise in reflection. (MLF)

NCTM Past President Cathy L. Seeley shares her messages on today's most relevant topics and issues in education. Based on Cathy L. Seeley's award-winning NCTM President's Messages, and including dozens of new messages, this must-have K-12 resource offers straight talk and common sense about some of today's most important, thought-provoking issues…

The Principal's Legal Handbook contains information and recommendations for practice in four areas. Section 1, "Students and the Law," yields interesting and informative answers on a number of issues related to students and the law: recent issues in schools relative to students' rights; the use of technology; and the latest case law and…