The Staff Development Maze: where Are We?

Abstract

Professors and practitioners, surveyed as to what degree staff development practices were employed in schools, displayed significantly different beliefs. The model upon which the survey was based, as well as responses given, are discussed here. STAFF DEVELOPMENT IN education is like a maze; it is a network of confusing and complex passages. The true path to designing effective staff development programs is difficult to find. WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS?Concerns about the quality and quantity of staff development raised by teachers, administrators, parents, school board members, and the public in general include the following:. Teachers want to know who will plan staff development activities, how they can find the time to attend inservice activities, and when they will be able to implement what they learn. Principals express concern about how they can find enough time to serve as staff development leaders and to support staff members who attempt to implement what they have learned during staff development activities.. Central office administrators worry about whether the school board will support the new practices and programs which result from staff development, the costs of inservice training, and the amount of released time required for effective staff development programs.. Teachers and administrators alike have questions about who should provide the leadership for inservice, how to motivate educators to become involved in professional improvement activities, how to maintain qual-