The types of professional development are as varied as the teachers who are engaged in them. To learn more about various professional development programs, visit the following Web sites. Some even provide online learning opportunities.
PD Schools
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Web site hosts the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) Clearinghouse on Professional Development Schools (www.aacte.org/Eric/pro_dev_schools.htm). The Clearinghouse includes research digests, answers to frequently asked questions, and a sample partnership agreement for schools and universities.
Another source of information on professional development schools is the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Their Web site includes Standards for Professional Development Schools, which can be downloaded as a PDF file (www.ncate.org/2000/PDS_Stands_10-00.pdf).
To find out how a professional development school works, visit the Web site of the Alberta (Canada) Teachers' Association (www.teachers.ab.ca/publications/monographs/pdschools). The association launched a professional development school pilot program in 1997; the Web site outlines the creation of two of the schools and provides an overview of the research literature and the results of the program.
Critical Friends Groups
EL author Deborah Bambino (p. 25) describes the benefits of implementing Critical Friends Groups in schools. The National School Reform Faculty Web site (www.harmonyschool.org/www) offers more information on creating these groups in your school, including research on how Critical Friends Groups can improve student learning and opportunities for training as a group coach.
Also visit the Coalition of Essential Schools Web site (www.essentialschools.org/pubs/horace/14/v14n05.html) for norms for working in Critical Friends Groups and a worksheet to guide observations.
Mentoring
One of the most popular methods of professional development, particularly for new teachers, is mentoring. To learn more about how to create an effective mentoring program, visit TeachersFirst (www.teachersfirst.com/mentor.htm). Read the ERIC Digest on teacher mentoring programs, access an overview of an Australian program to pair experienced teachers with university students, and find mentoring models from various schools and school districts.
For more help in creating a mentoring program, check out the Web site of the Mentoring Leadership and Resource Network, an affiliated network of ASCD, which includes information on mentoring projects and contacts for more advice (www.mentors.net).
Staff Development
For an overview of the latest news in staff development techniques, visit the National Staff Development Council's Web site (www.nsdc.org). Selected articles from the Council's journal and newsletters are available online, as well as the Council's standards for staff development.
The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) is a good source for information on a variety of professional development issues. Among the topics explored on the Web site (www.ncrel.org/) are funding, setting goals, evaluating professional development, and finding time for professional development.
For an overview of development methods and more examples from the field, visit Education Week's special section on professional development (www.edweek.org/context/topics/issuespage.cfm?id=16). This section includes archived articles from Education Week and links to other useful sites.
Online Learning
Of course, don't forget to visit the ASCD Web site (www.ascd.org) for the latest PD Online courses on such topics as multiple intelligences, diversity, classroom management, and global education.
