This book examines teachers' lounges as sites for the development of communal knowledge. It highlights data from surveys of teachers regarding their interactions in 26 elementary and secondary teachers' lounges in Israeli schools. The book regards teachers in lounges as learners, whether they are involved in formal professional development…

In spite of various opinions about the requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and of the newly reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) and the difficulties with implementing these federal laws, people are beginning to see positive outcomes and improvement in the academic performance of students with…

In this article, the author presents Sharon I. Byrdsong, the 2006 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year, who believes that all students can achieve and makes it happen with programs and policies that support students and teachers. When Sharon I. Byrdsong took over as the principal of Azalea Gardens Middle School in Norfolk,…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 3-year federally funded project that investigated the effectiveness of a collaborative teaming process to increase the academic achievement and social participation of elementary students with augmentative and alternative (AAC) needs who were members of general education classrooms. The…

Starting a new position is exhilarating. The key challenge is to make the strange familiar as soon as possible. There are new policies to learn, new colleagues to get to know, and new surroundings to adapt to. All these aspects and more need to be understood and managed well in order to focus on the primary task at hand--teaching and learning. Of…

This collection of papers focuses on what is known and practiced in professional development. Part 1, "The Purposes of Professional Development," includes (1) "Educational Purposes and Teacher Development" (Maxine Greene); (2) "Going Public: The Imperative of Public Education in the 21st Century" (Carl D. Glickman and…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a general education/special education collaborative teaming process on six elementary students, three with severe disabilities and three academically at-risk. Consistent implementation of the plans of support by team members was associated with increases in academic skills, engagement in classroom…

Describes corporate-derived teaching strategy called lesson study wherein teachers work to develop lessons, observe each other teaching lessons to see how they work, and then suggest lesson refinements. Provides examples of corporate change efforts (one successful, one not) and implications thereof for education. Evaluates two lesson-study…

The Technology Immersion Pilot (TIP), created by the Texas Legislature in 2003, set forth a vision for technology immersion in public schools. Senate Bill 396 called for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish a pilot project to "immerse" schools in technology by providing a wireless mobile computing device for each teacher and…

This study examined differences in nine factors between a group of the highest-performing needs high schools (HPHN) and a group of the lowest performing high-needs (LPHN) high schools using teacher responses from a national dataset. The factors are: (1) shared mission and goals; (2) professional development; (3) collaboration among teachers (4)…

In the St. Paul, Minnesota public schools, "pullout" teaching is frowned upon. Instead, "collaboration" is the favored method when it comes to teaching English-language learners. For three of the past four years, the district has made adequate yearly progress for its English-language learners under the federal No Child Left…

This book demonstrates how high achievement can exist in high-poverty, high-minority schools. By drawing on the best practices of 13 exemplary schools, the book highlights the specific means by which ethnically diverse (namely, African American and Latino) students can attain educational success. The book offers seven strategies for principals to…

This report presents the case-study findings from a cross-state investigation focused on Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, intended to deepen understanding around the influence of high stakes accountability on teacher learning and the capacity of districts and schools to support instructional practices…

This paper summarizes the first 2 years of a school improvement effort in a low-performing rural school district in southern Virginia that involved developing a balanced K-12 curriculum aligned with the state's standards of learning. Project evaluation focused on changes in the school environment and in teaching and learning that resulted from the…

Educators who thoroughly investigate data, raise questions, examine student learning, test their hypotheses, and then share their findings are mirroring effective math and science instruction. Using collaborative inquiry, data teams can help improve teacher knowledge and help teachers change their practice in ways that will enhance student…