Since 1985, the National Geographic Society has assumed the major responsibility nationwide for teacher education in geography. This article discusses the society's alliance projects and various state efforts to develop ideas and resources for revitalizing geography instruction. Two sidebars test readers' geography IQ and detail Pittsburgh,…

Many school districts are acknowledging staff development's dismal record. Inservice programs traditionally operate on a deficit training model, promote awareness without classroom strategies, and are offered by traveling "experts." Teachers need time and opportunity to direct their own professional development program and "mess…

Explores the advantages and difficulties of offering information literacy programs to academic staff who work outside the classroom, and the feasibility of integrating sessions into the workplace. Topics include the library's role, the institution's role, exploring user needs, and suggestions for promoting staff information literacy. (Author/LRW)

Professional development programs provide useful learning experiences to administrators who think strategically about the value of the programs to themselves and to their institutions of higher education. Few supervisors encourage participation, so individuals must survey the opportunities and find those that match their needs for current and…

Presents a one-day workshop format for initiating a solid community relations program. During the workshop, teachers and administrators work together to prioritize new and existing community-relations options and select adhoc committees to develop implementation plans. Typical options include school-business partnerships, teacher home visitation,…

Inclusion is not an economy move but a way to meet children's special needs in regular, age-appropriate classroom, with provision for a full continuum of support services and no admittance prerequisites. An even more appropriate approach is infusion--across-the-board representation of all students in all schools, regardless of their individual…

There are usually three reasons for hiring consultants: to inspire or motivate staff, to provide staff with new ideas, or to glean information from research and evaluation studies to make informed decisions and changes. To benefit from hiring consultants, administrators should know their speakers, consider timing, get their money's worth, verify…

Teachers assigned to teach on an emergency credential are severely challenged by inadequate understanding of classroom management techniques and instructional methods. Also, California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program is not available to these teachers. This article outlines criteria for principals to include in an inservice…

In this paper we review the evolution of the Quality Educator Program (QEP), a program sponsored by the United Auto Workers (UAW)/General Motors (GM) that employs school teachers, administrators, and college and university faculty each summer in GM assembly plants. The QEP provides educators and those in industry the unique opportunity to interact…

Action research, also called classroom or teacher research, has been defined as "systematic, intentional inquiry by teachers". Action research encourages school personnel to systematically develop a question, gather data, and then analyze that data to improve their practice. Over the last 15 years, the complexities of using action…

This report describes the impetus, accomplishments, and observed results of The Studio Project, which was conceived and implemented by the Arkansas Arts Center Museum School. This project was to help children become more aware of themselves and their environment, with an emphasis on the social, economic, and racial issues that confronted them,…

Although teacher inservice programs based on Madeline Hunter's Program for Effective Teaching (PET) have become very popular in U.S. schools, there is little evidence that the Hunter model ultimately results in increased student achievement. This longitudinal study attempts to evaluate the effects of Hunter-based staff development programs on…

A course was prepared by Planned Parenthood on the subject of human sexuality. The school district required an evaluation to determine effects, assess whether the instructional agency should be invited back, and to determine whether experiences should be continued. An action research approach was deemed appropriate. The objectives of the research…

The goal of the Elementary Counseling Project is to assist pupils to function more effectively socially, academically, and personally in their social environment. Specifically, the project seeks to improve the level of reading achievement as well as the personal and social behavior of selected pupils in the school setting. During the 1983-84…

School study councils should explore adopting assessment center technology (ACT) for selection and development of administrators, a process long used by other organizations. A center's assessors identify, measure, and analyze acceptable position performance levels within simulated exercises and managerial skills. (ll endnotes) (CJH)