The developmental principles as they apply to teachers focus on variations among teachers according to developmental criteria. Orientations to teacher supervision are viewed, and clusters of supervisory behaviors are matched with stages of teacher development. (JN)

After examining clinical supervision and its evolution, the author presents a model of supportive supervision in which supervisor and teacher collaborate to assess and maximize student performance. The focus is on student attitudes, behaviors, and learning outcomes rather than on evaluation or criticism of the teacher. (WD)

Reflects on a former college instructor's student teaching experience in middle school and how he had to adapt his own teaching preferences and inclinations to a new circumstance. Critiques pre-service teacher education programs. (TB)

Teaching assistant supervisors accept responsibility or overseeing the work and professional development of one or more teaching assistants. The complexity of such responsibility, the teaching assistant supervisor role, understanding teaching assistants from a developmental perspective, etc. are discussed. (MLW)

A "Collaborative Approach to Leadership in Supervision" is one area of school and university collaboration in the University of New Hampshire's five-year teacher education program. The article describes the project which develops, refines, and extends the repertoire of supervisory skills of participating principals, teachers, and…

Contends that first-year teachers and mentor teachers can each learn from the other. Describes some effective first-year/mentor teacher relationships, and gives tips for working together to new and experienced teachers. (WRM)

Mount Holyoke College's discussion-based Lenses on Learning seminars consist of 3 10-hour sessions that invite administrators to consider new ideas about mathematics, learning, and teaching and applications for their practice-supervising teachers, supporting their professional development, suggesting assessment approaches, addressing…

The consequences of poorly planned or random professional development for teachers in the early to mid career cycle are serious. Without input from knowledgeable mentors or supervisors, these teachers can flail about professionally. Without the benefit of individualized staff development plans, they may perpetuate ineffective teaching practices or…

This paper critically considers teacher education in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It was stimulated by an exchange programme between student teachers from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for a period of school-based work in each other's jurisdictions. It examines recent curricular developments, partnership with…

In an effort to update teacher evaluation systems to reflect changing attitudes toward the teaching profession and to focus on staff development, state departments of education and school districts have designed mentor and master teacher programs, career ladders, shared leadership programs, and differentiated evaluation programs. They have also…

In response to accountability pressures over the past several years, a body of research attempting to identify characteristics of effective schools has developed. Efforts to improve school climate or evaluate teachers solely according to "effective school" characteristics may be misguided. One problem is that school effectiveness may be…

Instructional evaluation by students is viewed as one of the main vehicles to improve teaching-learning processes in higher education. There is also a growing trend to use this information for administrative purposes such as tenure, promotion and merit pay. On the other hand, reviews of research show almost consistently that written feedback from…

Excellence in teaching, the reform reports tell us, depends at least partially on "professionalizing" teaching. The "new" positions of master or lead teacher are proposed as a method of improving the status of our best teachers and placing them in positions to mentor other teachers. Are these new positions any different than the "old" positions of…

This paper reviews the research on effective teachers of the gifted, focusing on teacher characteristics, expected competencies, selection, training, and supervision. The research is applied to practice within the framework of Purdue University's Super Saturday Program. (Author/JDD)

In Toledo, Ohio, teacher union and school system leaders have collaborated on a controversial, but apparently effective, plan to purge the staff of incompetent teachers. It combines rigorous evaluation, training for new teachers, remediation for veteran teachers, and peer review by a corps of highly skilled consulting teachers. (TE)