Supervisors play a major role in developing teacher competence through staff development programs. These programs must focus on improving instruction and enhancing staff skills to meet organizational goals. Effective staff development encompasses all activities that promote professional growth, from pre-service education through in-service training. When developing staff training, districts should assess needs, involve stakeholders, set objectives, and evaluate outcomes to continuously improve instruction.

1. CHAPTER 8
PROVIDING STAFF DEVELOPMENT

2. A major role of the supervisors is to
help teachers develop the
competence to provide improved
instruction.
While staff development in a school
district may take in may different
forms, those programs must
nonetheless focus on the requisites
needed by the school personnel to
advance the goals of the organization
and to enhance staff competence.
STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
AND TODAY’S
SUPERVISOR

3. Supervisors today must wrestle with a growing resistance
of veteran staffs to “learn new tricks”
If educational organizations are to continue to grow,
members of their professional staffs must also continue to
grow.
Since a prime purpose of supervision is to provide
leadership necessary to promote a continuing climate of
improvement, it is vital that supervisors possess the
knowledge base and practical skills to carry out the critical
function.

4. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
AND IN-SERVICE
Staff development and in-service education are used
interchangeably. The distinction between the two is a
conceptional one.
Some would say that staff development is in-service
education, not all in-service education is staff
development.
Other authors see staff development as basically growth
oriented while in-service education assumes a deficiency
in the teacher and presupposes a set of appropriate ideas,
skills, and methods that need developing.

5. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
AND IN-SERVICE
However, staff development can encompass all activities
leading to professional growth. This definition from the
authors is based on the premise that the professional
growth of an educator begins upon entry into a teacher-
education program and continues until employment
ends.

6. EXPERIENCES LEADING TO PROFESSIONAL
GROWTH ( KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES, ETC. )
1. Preservice education – formalized
teacher education program designed to
help the individual meet employment
requirements.
2. In-service education – Programs
designed to improved the proficiencies
of the practicing educator, which may
be under the auspices of the employing
school district or at the full discretion of
the individual

7. TEACHER INDUCTION FIVE-
STEP PROCESS
Community Adjustments – this category would include
such basics as finding housing, finding schools or child
care for children, location of physicians or other special
need groups. The school can help in this process by
assigning a “buddy” for all new teachers much as the
military has done overseas for years for new personnel.

8. TEACHER INDUCTION FIVE-
STEP PROCESS
Personnel Adjustment – High on the priority of all new
teachers in getting on the payroll and receiving benefits
for their labor. Often this requires significant time
involvement in filling out papers and making visit to
designated offices. A simple school check-off list for new
teachers and a couple of advance telephone calls to
coordinate visits can make this mundane process personal
rather than institutional.

9. TEACHER INDUCTION FIVE-
STEP PROCESS
System Adjustment – Many new teachers enter into the
system oriented only to their room and how to get their
texts and supplies. A very natural and important question
in the mind of the new teacher is “ How do I fit into the
bigger picture?”. If you want to orient the new teacher to
district goals and philosophy, discipline procedures, or
extracurricular duties and expectations, this is the time.
What is the delivered to the new teacher during induction
will influence the individuals perception for years to come.

10. TEACHER INDUCTION FIVE-
STEP PROCESS
Personal Adjustment – Like moving to the new
neighborhood, the new teacher will be anxious to
establish relationships and become known to others.
Perhaps school should invest more on arrival parties than
on “going away”’ parties for teachers. A ‘buddy”
appointment can facilitate this very important task for the
new teacher.

11. TEACHER INDUCTION FIVE-
STEP PROCESS
Establishing expectations – setting expectations for
teacher performance can be best be accomplished during
induction when the new teacher is curious and seeking
such information. Sharing evaluation criteria, assessment
or visitation schedules, and the role of the supervisor in
improving instruction are all relevant topics at this stage of
development.

12. PREPARING STAFF
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Preparing staff development plan should include teachers,
students, administrators, parents, and supervisors. Local
school districts can improve student learning
opportunities by improving the educational system and
the performance of those who implement it.

13. 7 GUIDES IN DEVELOPING AN
IN-SERVICE OR STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
1. Some knowledge and skills can best be acquired before
the teachers enters service, while others can be
acquired only after the teachers is in service.
2. The development of curricula and the upgrading of
skills and knowledge of teachers and administrators
should be continuous, interrelating process.
3. Curricula and professional improvement programs that
are developed in isolation of the educational
practitioners become the end rather than the means.

14. 7 GUIDES IN DEVELOPING AN
IN-SERVICE OR STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
4. Changes in educational programs and strategies will not
occur, regardless of the validity of the research and the
soundness of the design, unless teachers and
administrators understand the need and basis for change.
5. The complexities of the society require a system for
continually changing programs and services for pupils and
the methodology by which they are delivered.

15. 7 GUIDES IN DEVELOPING AN
IN-SERVICE OR STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
6. Professional improvement programs that are developed
and conducted as an end than a means will cause clients
to be sought to fit the program rather than continually
altering the programs to meet the need and the interests
of the clientele.
7. State government is expecting local school districts to
become more responsible for professional improvement
programs.

16. ESSENTIAL STEPS IN
DEVELOPING AN IN-SERVICE
PLAN.
Conduct an Assessment of Need.
A. Identify the target learners.
B. Determine a strategy for learners needs assessment –
goals and objectives, test data, survey data, nature and
degree of involvement in in-service project.
C. Conduct learner needs assessment.
D. Assign priorities to identified learner needs-tasks.
E. Collect baseline date regarding target learners.

17. ESSENTIAL STEPS IN
DEVELOPING AN IN-SERVICE
PLAN
Make Policy Decision to Initiate and In-Service Project
A. Involve target learners, administrators, supervisors in
identifying program objectives.
B. Designate supervisory personnel (leadership agents)
and support personnel to provide leadership for the
project.
C. Develop budget and process guidelines.
D. Set a time frame for the project.
E. Design in-service activities, materials, resources.

18. ESSENTIAL STEPS IN
DEVELOPING AN IN-SERVICE
PLAN
Develop Evaluate Measure to Assess Developed In-
Service Programs Objectives and related Activities.
A. Design evaluate measures to assess competencies of
leadership staff.
B. Institute monitoring and formative evaluation regarding
in-service project objectives and activities.
C. Develop evaluate measures to assess support elements.
D. Conduct summative evaluation of in-service objectives,
activities, leadership and supportive staff.