The authors invited teachers participating in a climate change education course to voluntarily demonstrate new environmental behaviors. They were interviewed and described the process of change they experienced. Facilitating professional development activities were participation in a community of change, construction of knowledge of climate…

The authors relate how they had been searching for ways to help teachers in their schools to integrate technology into their classrooms in a sustainable fashion. The authors have found that after-school workshops and one-on-one assistance to teachers have not enabled teachers to become self-reliant in their regular use of technology. Instead,…

Mentoring programs for beginning teachers are designed to retain good teachers by providing them with psychological support and instructional assistance and introducing them to the cultures of the school and the district. Being a mentor also figures prominently in veteran teachers' professional development. An examination of the literature reveals…

The relationship of staff development needs of teachers with the type of school district, levels of assignment, school district size, and teaching experience was examined. Three hundred and twenty-two teachers responded to the "Staff Development Needs Assessment for Effective Schools" instrument which measured perceived staff development needs…

Argues for the significance of "personal theories" in teaching. Profiles first year teaching of four teachers who had completed program of self-inquiry and reflection about their own developing conceptions of education. Describes their personal theories of teaching before employment and the nature and impact of their teaching…

Staff developers can foster teacher growth using varied approaches to teacher reflection, and developers must consider level of pedagogical functioning and psychological orientation when designing approaches to reflection for enhancing professional growth. The article suggests that providing appropriate reflective experiences at one stage helps…

Describes teachers who made a difference in the author's literacy development and who fostered his love of learning and teaching. Discusses the importance of teachers growing as professionals. Describes various opportunities through the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) for teachers to share the good work that they do. Notes NCTE's…

Step by Step (Early Childhood Program) is an education reform program to engender democratic principles and practices in young children and their families. The authors interviewed 15 teacher participants in the yearlong Step by Step training to learn how the training changed their teaching practices and how their new practices affect the children…

This study examines faculty development carried on through school-based inservice programs, and looks at ways that a teacher-librarian can initiate or participate in such programs. Separate sections review the relevant literature; explore the roles of teacher-librarians in inservice programs (e.g., as change aqents, curriculum consultants, school…

This monograph describes the reflections of the first pilot group of teachers in the Fetzer Institute's Courage to Teach Program. A group of scholars at Richland College were the first to apply the institute's program to higher education. The essays in this collection were written by teachers and administrators who have worked together, and in…

Presents five story telling strategies--inspired by the work of Vivian Paley--that teachers can use to discover children's perspectives in a classroom: share the story of our names, share favorite stories from childhood, pass the paper and find the different stories, act out the story with different communication styles, and see our work as making…

This is a report of a one-year trial of a new professional arrangement for teachers, which gave experienced teachers part-time sabbaticals during the school year for study and curriculum projects, and which attempted to give first-year teachers (who were already certified) mentoring help and other special professional opportunities. The first-year…

Teachers' salary schedules are not ends in themselves; rather, they are linked to the middle-range personnel objectives that include: (1) having a large applicant pool from which to choose; (2) reduced teacher turnover; and (3) increased average teacher experience in the district, with a larger percent of masters' degrees. Salary schedules from…

Examines the contribution of in-service teachers when they take responsibility for teacher-education courses. Outlines the main elements of sharing experiential knowledge by referring to the results of a research study that examined links between theory and practice. Discusses the use of examples as an important part of a teacher's contribution.…

Although a substantial literature is devoted to the professional development of teachers, emerging dimensions located around e-facilitation techniques have yet to be documented and their implications understood. This paper is based around a case study of a professional group of highly experienced teachers from the state sector who were undertaking…