Genuinely new concepts have emerged from these deliberations so that today teacher education is talked of as a lifelong experience that extends from program admission to retirement. Mentoring programs pair novice teachers with outstanding experienced teachers who can explain school policies and practices, share methods and materials, and help solve problems. Societal issues such as crime, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty, homelessness, and child abuse have also influenced how teachers practice and the nature of their training. Consequently, there are a number of comprehensive service or cross-professional training programs under development involving schools of education, medicine, law, nursing, criminal justice, and social work. Despite budget cuts, educators perceive that this decentralization, or site-based management, has created new opportunities for growth, particularly among school staff.
Professional development is an aspect of school reform that is receiving enormous attention.
It is also an area about which surprisingly little is known, with only a handful of studies that document its provision, costs, and effect. The changing role of central office and its implications for staff development. National Center for Research on Teacher Learning, Michigan State University. Teachers' professional development in a climate of education reform. Staff development for teachers.