Copyright, National Staff Development Council, 2000. All rights reserved.
Teachers face myriad professional development choices.
In the current standards-based environment, professional development options are being driven by a demand for teachers to increase their subject matter knowledge and change teaching practices. Ideally, teachers should be attracted by professional development tied to district reforms, especially curricular changes. And, since teachers often are given a choice even within required offerings, it also helps to understand invisible barriers to teacher participation. Those who continue to return are frequently the subject of research, but little is known about the silent group that chooses not to participate. Answering the questions of who these teachers are and how to reach them may affect how deeply a reform is rooted, how long it is sustained, and what is its eventual impact.