TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRIMER FOR PARENTS & COMMUNITY MEMBERS

"Teachers today are under growing pressure to perform. But most new teachers are not adequately prepared to meet the needs of their students, and many experienced teachers have yet to adapt to new standards. Just like practitioners in other professions, teachers need to deepen their knowledge and improve their skills over the course of their careers. Unfortunately, the need for quality professional development for those in the teaching profession all too often goes unmet. This publication suggests why this is so, proposes ways to rectify the situation, and offers resources for those who want to learn more. This new publication is a collaborative effort of The Finance Project and Public Education Network (PEN). The Finance Project -- a nonprofit policy research organization with a focus on financing, education, family and children services, and community development -- spearheads the Ford Foundation-funded Collaborative Initiative on Financing Professional Development in Education. This primer on the importance of professional development for teachers is designed to give parents and community members an overview of professional development, and identifies steps they can take to support quality professional development for teachers."