Describes electronic performance support systems (EPSS) as an opportunity to view teacher preparation and support from a new perspective. EPSS are integrated, computer-based systems that provide timely information, useful advice, relevant instruction, and productivity tools when needed. Strengths and limitations of EPSS are discussed. (SM)

Offers a guide to self-observation for instructors who want to improve their own teaching but do not know how to identify the changes they need or want to make. Offers practical suggestions on course planning and class preparation, effective communication, questioning and responding, and assessment and evaluation. Provides a method of observing…

Describes a structured yet informal and flexible reading lesson observation framework (representing one district's vision of what an exemplary reading lesson ought to look like in its elementary schools) that can help teachers, principals, and literacy supervisors to work together to enhance quality and consistency of daily reading lessons. (SR)

Proposes four ways to help teachers truly develop as educators, including: peer coaching to gain and develop knowledge and skills; collaborative teaching for daily practice and feedback; and parent and student questionnaires and videotaping of teachers at work to help evaluate personal teaching performance. (SM)

In many schools and districts, teacher evaluation is poorly conducted, or even disparaged or ignored altogether. This handbook advocates a new approach to teacher evaluation--a cooperative effort undertaken by a group of professionals. Evaluation can reassure teachers that they are doing good and valued jobs, give security and status to…

This collection of papers, the sixth in an annual series, presents the views of members of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education on improving research, career development, conceptual models for program planning, and teaching and learning. Articles and authors are as follows: "The Need for Classroom Research"…

This book describes approaches to professional development for cooperative learning and how the use of cooperative learning for teacher learning is leading to new insights into professional growth in schools. Part 1, "Begin with the Teacher: Focusing Professional Development for Cooperative Learning," offers "Introduction:…

This report reviews the development of the peer review process at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) and presents perceptions of the process after 1 year of implementation. The perceptions presented are from a survey of department heads and some faculty who had completed the peer review process. Responses included comments about the…

Approved by the city's board of education in July 1982, Houston's Special Education Team Member Quality Assurance Program is intended to help assure continual professional growth for special education teachers. By establishing a system of faculty performance assessment, the program seeks to identify teachers' strengths and weaknesses, improve…

The purpose of the workshop described in this paper was to teach educators to understand the differences in learning/teaching styles and how to apply that understanding to the professional routine and to conflict management and problem solving tasks. The Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Model (TLC) used in the workshop applies Jung's research on…

The speech communication department chair's most important function involves creating a healthy departmental climate for professional growth and development. While the department chair must be able to recognize and accept the fact that some faculty members cannot or will not improve their performance, there are still four principles he or she can…

This handbook provides practical suggestions to principals on using teacher evaluation to develop a school's most important resource--its teachers. After briefly delineating the basic steps in teacher evaluation, the handbook provides advice in each of the following areas: formulating the approach; establishing an affirmative atmosphere;…

An eight-step organizational approach to the problem of identifying, remediating, and, if necessary, dismissing incompetent teachers is described. Addressed to school superintendents, the eight steps are as follows: (1) establish "excellence in teaching" as a high priority for the district, (2) adopt and publish reasonable criteria for evaluating…

As schools move from corporate to collegial forms of organization, it will become necessary to adapt evaluation systems to collegial environments. This paper outlines a system that utilizes features of professional self-regulation from higher education while maintaining dispute resolution mechanisms from the public sector. Features of the system…

This handbook is designed to provide a basis for discussion or training sessions on teacher-administrator relationships. The first section of the handbook examines communication problems and describes effective and ineffective communication techniques. Discussion questions and guidelines for communication improvement are listed for administrators…