There is no doubt that a lesson plan is a necessary product of Lesson Study. However, the collaborative work among teachers that goes into creating that lesson plan is largely under-appreciated by non-Japanese adopters of Lesson Study, possibly because the effort involved is invisible to outsiders, with our attention going to its most visible…

Studies about how schools improve indicate that the process of improvement happens simultaneously on two levels: the individual teacher level and the level of the school as an organization. Staff development, networking, and problem-centered activities are current approaches found promising for school improvement. (Author/MLF)

Contending that participation in quality circles enhances effective time management by school administrators and teachers, this guide provides both a theoretical briefing and practical recommendations for better time management. A pre- posttest prefaces a review of basic concepts of quality circles with reference to the work of Abraham Maslow,…

The president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers discusses how experienced teachers in that city oversee the professional development of new teachers and provide assistance to veteran colleagues experiencing severe problems in the classroom. He also describes the role played in this plan by the union. (CMG)

Experimental teachers receiving feedback concerning teaching skill were more effective than control teachers in controlling their own behavior and reducing learner inattention. The experimental teachers were also more effective in their ability to diagnose more often, to employ appropriate diagnostic procedures, and to assist students in mastering…

Looks at a cross-curriculum innovation in which students engage in reading, writing, problem solving, interaction with simulations and databases, and performing various hands-on activities. Describes a project that provides students with the opportunity to participate in many of the new literacies while teachers learn new skills using these same…

The school psychologist's role in providing case consultation is illustrated for two problems which may be associated with a teacher's lack of objectivity: (1) transference--perception of current situations in light of past experiences; and (2) theme interference--displacement of an unresolved conflict onto current personalities or situations.…

Classroom teachers who worked with high-skilled consultants improved significantly more in problem clarification skills following consultant contact than teachers who worked with low-skilled consultants. Working with high skilled consultants not only increased the quantity of information about a child but the quality as well. (Author)

This description of a model program developed in Washington State for improving teachers' classroom effectiveness includes an outline of the program's 15-step process and its three key concepts--involvement, ownership, and commitment--followed by discussions of resource people and the program's two-day problem-solving retreat. (JBM)

Describes a series of four professional development workshops designed to help novice teachers cope with stress. The workshops focus on four approaches: effective use of networking and building of support systems; strategies for relaxation and making time for oneself; management of paperwork and other tasks; and a step-by-step problem solving…

At present, teachers' inservice training assumes an enormous importance in the realization of educational reforms in European countries. This paper describes several descriptive models for teacher training. Then, the development of inservice training is examined according to the "change paradigm" and the "problem-solving…

To improve instruction, teachers need to be brought together to work on common instructional concerns in a professional environment. To create it, supervisors need to provide more opportunities for teachers to make choices, discuss their work, observe each other, and help beginning teachers ease into their responsibilities. (Author/DCS)

Whole-faculty study groups can help the entire faculty integrate and implement effective teaching and learning practices with the goal of increased student learning. The paper describes the reasons for and the development and implementation of whole-faculty groups, then examines one consultant's experiences with such groups in Georgia. (SM)

Describes an approach to enhancing teachers' classroom critical-thinking and decision-making skills. The approach emphasized teacher-initiative research to develop an understanding of the meaning of becoming problem solvers and to help teachers learn from their experiences how to identify, define, solve, and assess solutions to their concerns. (SM)

Teachers can engage in practical reflection through collaboration that enriches their sense of what is feasible and possible, and they can transform their understanding of those realities. Critical reflection, however, requires various forms of assistance. The use of "clinical supervision" over 6 months in 1982 with 14 teachers in 4…