Meanwhile, research in California demonstrated that focusing sustained professional development on the curriculum being implemented improved teaching practices and student learning. NSDC has been working nationwide to create more innovative and effective approaches to ensure that teacher learning enhances student learning. Following is a checklist that teachers can use to determine whether their staff development program has the potential to produce instructional changes that will cause all students to learn at high levels. Deeper understanding of academic content and its application in real-world settings requires sustained, intellectually rigorous study. Expand teachers' repertoire of research-based instructional skills to teach that content.
Some strategies are more effective than others in particular subject areas.
It is critical that teachers be taught using methods that are consistent with those they will be expected to use in their classrooms. This assistance can come from other teachers, trainers, or the school's principal. Create regular opportunities for serious collaborative work. Quality staff development programs have at their core a small team of teachers who plan lessons together, critique student work, and assist in problem solving. These teams should meet for an hour or more several times a week, with team members sharing responsibility for their students' learning.