The Skillful Teacher: Building Your Teaching Skills
Jon Saphier is the founder of Research for Better Teaching (RBT), a professional development organization dedicated to improving teaching and learning. BesidesThe Skillful Teacher, Dr. Saphier is the author of other publications on teaching, leadership and school improvement, includingJohn Adams Promise: How to Have Good Schools for All Our Children Not Just Some(2005). He devotes his time to long-term, in-depth, systemic change projects in selected districts. A masterful teacher, he conducts workshops, coaching sessions, and delivers keynotes that bring to life the principles and strategies inThe Skillful Teacher. He is active in public policy reform to promote the professionalization of teaching and leadership and has also served as a school administrator, staff developer, and teacher (K-12).Mary Ann Haley-Speca is a senior consultant and former director of training with RBT and has worked with teachers and administrators in public, private, urban, suburban, rural and international school districts since 1990. A seasoned and engaging staff developer, she enables teachers and leaders to create school cultures and classroom environments that support high achievement for all students. She also co-authored two popular RBT publications,ActivatorsandSummarizers. Before joining RBT, Haley-Speca served as a district-wide staff developer, program supervisor, and classroom teacher in grades 3-12.Robert Gower is a retired professor of University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he helped develop the doctoral program in Leadership in Schooling and is still active teaching online courses for the university. His distinguished career includes being an elementary teacher, a principal, a researcher, a pioneer in the study of teaching, and a standout instructor and mentor for generations of graduate students. In 2007, he received the Faculty Excellence & Service Award and was recognized as a 2007 Honors Fellow by the University of Massachusetts.