A New Vision for Staff Development

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Staff development is undergoing profound change as traditional approaches fall short of current needs and educators face new challenges. Gone are the days when teachers were the primary and passive recipients of "sit and get" training. Today, say Dennis Sparks and Stephanie Hirsh, effective staff development is targeting everyone who affects student learning, and the total organization--not just the individual--is improving through multiple forms of learning. In addition, teachers and administrators throughout school systems are taking on staff development responsibilities that once were handled by a single department. Sparks and Hirsh tell how "three powerful ideas"--results-driven education, systems thinking, and constructivism--are shaping the new staff development, and they describe how the focus has shifted from the district to the school, from fragmented efforts to comprehensive plans, from adult needs to student needs, from off-site training to job-embedded learning, and from generic skills to a combination that includes content-specific skills as well. At the heart of their discussion are examples of districts and schools throughout the nation that are at the forefront of the new staff development. Quoting extensively from practicing educators who are leading the way, Sparks and Hirsh provide first-hand accounts of how these people are handling the transition, overcoming roadblocks, devising solutions, and creating staff development that works. The goal is clear, they say: improved performance--by students, staff, and the organization.