Some schools require summer reading, college courses, or projects. Undoubtedly the most popular window of opportunity for staff development is during those days set aside during the school year devoted exclusively to teacher training, when there are no students on campus. While the students have the day off, teachers are free to attend a teachers' conference or seminar. Perhaps teachers would be free to observe at other schools. Release days, when selected teachers are given the day off school, are another alternative.
Polls show that such set-aside days are understandably popular with teachers.
Evenings and weekends have been used for professional growth. These, however, are often inconvenient for teachers, especially those with families. Several final methods of packaging professional growth are less obtrusive, though no less effective. When a teacher has a break in his daily teaching schedule, he can meet with a handful of others and the group leader in a central location. This can be especially practical in learning hands-on skills such as technology.