This booklet, which is intended as a support to the delivery of professional development of Australian literacy educators on critical literacy, presents a seven-step systematic model of all contexts through which a text may be constructed and studied. The first two sections discuss the model's use as a comprehensive framework for future teaching,…

This guide is the result of a 2-year initiative, Results-Based Staff Development for the Middle Grades. It provides information and resources for selecting, designing, and evaluating staff development to improve student achievement. It targets school staff development committees, principals, staff development leaders, and curriculum coordinators.…

This guide answers three basic questions on how to develop a professional community of learners: (1) What type of polices, structures, and procedures will help staff to connect with and learn from one another? (2) What incentives help schools to undertake community-wide learning? and (3) How can schools transform themselves into professional…

Effective teacher evaluation programs save school boards money, time, and aggravation. When necessary after initial evaluations, principals can help teachers remedy performance problems by mutually redefining job duties and responsibilities, agreeing on acceptable performance levels, comparing teacher accomplishments with predetermined standards,…

Defines inservice, provides criteria for planning and conducting successful inservice programs, discusses its critical elements, and examines the roles of the administrator and the teacher in successful programs. (FL)

Research on adult learning suggests that direct and concrete experiences where the learner applies what is being learned are an essential ingredient for in-service education. Abstract, word-oriented talk sessions are not adequate to change behaviors. (Author/MLF)

Describes how a process of collaboration between teachers and administrators is necessary for successful teacher evaluation. Guidelines are presented and then applied to an observation model. (MLF)

The supervisory challenge of the decade will be preventing teacher burnout. Suggestions are offered that administrators can use as part of the supervisory process to stimulate teachers to embark on a program of personal growth. (Author/MLF)

Discusses an in-depth interviewing process designed to encourage teaching assistants and other teachers of writing to reflect on the ways their histories with writing affect the way they teach composition. Finds that this process initiates a forum for continued discussion about the teaching of writing. (RS)

Discusses 19 suggestions for improving the effectiveness of inservice programs, including conducting a needs assessment, developing clear objectives, showing examples of students' work, encouraging building supervisors to attend, and finding a good location for the inservice program. (RS)

Offers guidance for selecting the right summer course or workshop to help music teachers develop new skills and renew energy and creativity. Explains the difference between courses and workshops. Presents an overview of the types of programs offered by universities, state and professional organizations, and publishers or manufacturers. (LS)

Descriptions and implications of five stages of professional development of science teachers are provided. Behavioral characteristics for each stage are stressed. (CW)

Examines research about the effectiveness of professional development. Procedural guidelines drawn from research on individual and organizational change provide a framework for developing the optimal mix of professional development processes and technologies for specific contexts at particular points in time. The potential impact of implementing…

Influencing educational decision makers requires creating ongoing relationships, keeping everyone informed, and developing persuasive skills. Persuasion requires preparation, refinement, hard work, and a sound understanding of the people being lobbied. Lobbying must be factual and relevant to the audience. The article looks at influence from the…

Discusses the theoretical basis for a teacher development project designed to generate innovative strategies for teacher development using information technology. The article describes strategies by modes and models, recommending a model based on teacher needs. The article examines outcomes of the project based on its relationship to the…