Handbook of Professional Development in Education ― Successful Models and Practices, Prek-12

Synthesizing the best current knowledge on teacher professional development (PD), this handbook describes effective, innovative practices that are being used in schools today. Leading authorities present PD approaches that are instructive, reflective, active, collaborative, and substantive. The book explores the relationship of PD to adult learning theory, school leadership, district and state policy, the growth of professional learning communities, and the Common Core State Standards. Practical issues in implementing PD are addressed, as are strategies for measuring and sustaining successful programs. Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking discussion questions. The appendix provides eight illuminating case studies of PD initiatives in diverse schools.

Linda E. Martin, EdD, is Professor of Elementary Education at Teachers College, Ball State University, where she serves as Director of Doctoral Programs for the Department of Elementary Education. For over two decades, Dr. Martin has worked with teachers across grades to develop effective literacy practices. She served for 7 years as a professional development liaison for Ball State, and helped to implement two large grants focused on teachers' literacy instruction in urban schools in the Midwest. Her research interests include students' development of reading and writing strategies, teachers' implementation of effective instructional strategies across grades, content-area reading and materials across grades, and issues that affect teachers' professional development.

Sherry Kragler, PhD, is Associate Professor of Childhood Education and Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida. Prior to becoming a university professor, she was a classroom teacher, curriculum specialist, and Title I reading teacher/coordinator. Through two federal grants, Dr. Kragler spent 2 years working with primary-grades teachers to improve their reading instruction. She has conducted professional development programs on content-area reading, comprehension instruction, portfolio assessment, and other areas. Her research interests include comprehension development of young children, issues that impact professional development of teachers, literacy development of young readers, and using content texts in the primary grades.

Diana J. Quatroche, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Elementary, Early, and Special Education in the Bayh College of Education at Indiana State University. In addition to her classroom teaching experience, she has supervised school reading programs and coordinated Title I reading programs. She served for 6 years as a professional development liaison for Indiana State University, and developed the first professional development school while a faculty member at Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Quatroche has received grants to support professional development for classroom teachers in Indiana, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. Her research interests include the role of graduate programs in preparing reading specialists as literacy leaders and the effect of professional development on teacher practice and student learning.

Kathryn L. Bauserman, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Elementary, Early, and Special Education in the Bayh College of Education at Indiana State University. Dr. Bauserman has cowritten and codirected five different 2-year grant projects in Indiana that focus on graduate-level teacher professional development through workshops for teachers. Workshop topics have included developing writing using the arts as a tool, increasing higher-level thinking skills in content area literacy, differentiating reading instruction, using writing to teach comprehension skills across content areas, and enhancing disciplinary literacy through technology and formative assessment.