Describes three types of teacher portfolios: employment portfolio, learning portfolio, and assessment portfolio. Provides information from the Learning Community program that uses teacher portfolios in teacher education. (ASK)

Describes experiences in preparing for the National Board Certification process which allows a teacher an incomparable opportunity to evolve into a better educator and an accomplished teacher. (ASK)

North Carolina's A+ program views teachers as professionals capable of improving curriculum and practice with intensive professional development. This in turn raises teacher morale and improves practice. The paper explains how A+ supports professionalism, describes its professional development model, and presents details on its intensive…

Notes that keeping current in a specific academic discipline is as crucial for community college faculty members as it is for their university colleagues. Suggest that two-year colleges, and the communities they serve, can do much to further their faculty members' intellectual growth. Argues that institutions as a whole should provide budget…

Staff developers recently spotlighted critical issues facing schools or districts trying to develop or improve beginning teacher mentoring programs. This article excerpts their suggestions, explaining how to build and support effective mentoring programs via: selecting mentors and matching mentors and mentees; mentor training; bringing a focus to…

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…

Notes that teachers, whether new or senior faculty, cannot succeed--with or without new technology--unless they keep in mind the dimensions of good teaching that allow them to connect with students in the first place. Focuses on creating a learning community around five dimensions associated with effective teaching: enthusiasm, command of subject,…

Erin Rogers is on a mission to change teachers' minds. As a literacy coach at Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington, she advises other teachers on how to infuse literacy into lessons across the curriculum. It's not an easy job: many secondary school instructors see themselves as content experts and believe that teaching reading is best left…

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.…

If teaching is the effective communication of knowledge, the teacher first must be knowledgeable about the subject being taught. Communicating that knowledge to students is just as important. One standard teaching method is the lecture. A lecture is prepared before class by the teacher and should include not only the facts to be learned by the…

Designed to serve as an introduction to instructional development for the teacher or graduate student who has not read extensively in the field, this chapter presents an operational definition of the instructional development process; explores the human dimensions of the process; provides graphic models of instructional development; and makes…

A solution to staff development and instructional improvement for rural and small school teachers is through self-initiated and/or self-styled improvement programs using the mental rehearsal strategy. Mental rehearsal is the process of using imagery to practice teaching behavior before actually teaching. If rural educators can be trained to…

An alternative to traditional teacher evaluation is offered through the development of an objectives-oriented growth plan for classroom teachers. Responsibility for establishing the growth plan is placed with the individual teacher, who is required to specify personal goals and objectives, and to design, carry out, and evaluate the program…

Maximum gain from teacher staff development programs can be assured through careful planning that accommodates novice and experienced teachers. Establishing clear student achievement goals linked to staff development is also important. Includes tables and references. (MD)

Describes the innovative video programs developed at Scenic Hills Elementary School in Pennsylvania. The programs include a "Kids News" television program, a video exchange program, video productions, and "take home" tapes for parents. (MD)