This book discusses the most current knowledge on whole- faculty study groups (WFSGs). Nine chapters examine: (1) "Introduction" (how WFSGs began and spread); (2) "Enabling Professional Development and Schoolwide Change" (guiding principles and questions); (3) "Key Components: Context, Process, and Content"; (4)…

The preventive maintenance program for Oakland (California) public schools has full-time traveling teams of carpenters, painters, and a plumber, augmented by electricians and glaziers. Scheduled visits are made to every site twice a year. (Author/MLF)

Cites benefits of using teacher aides in the classroom and discusses four important aspects of the aide-teacher relationship. Condensed from "North Carolina Education," January-February 1981, p2. (Editor/SJL)

(For availability, see EA 507 405.)

To handle unforeseen crises, Albuquerque Public Schools established a critical-incident response team with a simple, understandable chain of command. The group aims to ensure maximum safety and people' well-being, develop a districtwide crisis-response-management plan, coordinate necessary training, and collaborate with community agencies…

Briefly describes how school boards and superintendents can work together as a team to improve the quality of education. References "Team Leadership for Student Achievement," a new book developed through the collaborative efforts of the American Association of School Administrators and the National School Boards Association. (PKP)

In cooperative learning, students are typically assigned to heterogeneous teams. The Johns Hopkins University Elementary School Program uses four principal methods involving student team learning, including Student Teams-Achievement Divisions, Teams-Games-Tournament, Team Accelerated Instruction-Mathematics, and Cooperative Integrated Reading and…

Principals desiring to obtain their schools' share of available grant money must direct the grant-writing process. After mastering basic principles and vocabulary, principals should form a grant proposal team, tend to public relations, share important data with team members, identify matching funds and in-kind services, contact the funding…

Leadership has been so overemphasized that good followers can feel inadequate and unappreciated. One negative effect has been increased competition among school personnel, caused by evaluation systems that reward achievement and performance but neglect teamwork, interpersonal skills, and collegiality. Leaders can learn much from good followers,…

Describes steps in establishing crisis intervention team in schools: determining goals, performing needs assessment, finding model programs, developing membership pool, developing training program, preparing and maintaining list of resources and plans for support services, establishing communication network, designating base of operations,…

A recent study of school improvement planning teams in central New York State attempted to capture practicing team members' perspectives and identify and elaborate factors helping or hindering team development or effectiveness. Skill development, adequate time, and strong administrative support are critical to successful team development. (20…

Although certain crises cannot be prevented, reactions to many can be planned. A crisis-management team should be organized for each building. Critical crisis-plan elements include telephone trees, forms, reference articles, sample letters, and processes for dealing with local media. Spokespersons should have facts straight before speaking. (MLH)

A review of the literature and a detailed analysis of five specific studies on placement team functioning is presented. Among findings are a strong positive relation between staff role and participation (school psychologists were ranked highest on both variables while regular education teachers were ranked lowest) and a very powerful set of role…

The author reviews the background of mainstreaming and least restrictive environment placement for handicapped children, cites problems with the implementation of the concept, and suggests a cooperative approach. He asserts that the learning environment should be modified by focusing on the following factors: modification of content and materials,…

This document describes the many benefits that arise when educators work together as a team to solve problems and share decisions. Although not a quick fix for problems in education, a team-oriented culture helps people feel better about themselves and their efforts, encouraging staff at various levels in the school district to work together for…