How Teachers Learn Best, An Ongoing Professional Development Model (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book reveals whether or not teachers believe professional development components such as reflective dialogue and peer observation can positively impact their teaching. The literature emphasizes a laboratory-type setting where teachers recognize their environment as learning enriched rather than learning impoverished. It provides an excellent starting point for the shift in structure from one-shot, atheorectical, passive professional development sessions to sustained, proactive, theory-based activities that are part of a culture of ongoing professional development.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: ScarecrowEducation (December 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578860709
• ISBN-13: 978-1578860708
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #180,977 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book -- Highly Recommended, April 11, 2004

By A Customer

As a veteran educator, I feel that "How Teachers Learn Best" is one of the best organized and well-written texts on teacher development ever written. I cannot think of another text I would choose over it to showcase the failure of stagnant, inflexible, "one-size-fits-all" teaching approaches of the past. The text also provides an excellent overview of the myriad other professional issues challenging contemporary teachers (these insights carry over well to related fields - my wife is a professional counselor and thoroughly enjoyed the book as well). Dr. Fiszer obviously expects readers to become involved in introducing and applying fresh perspectives to "traditional approaches" that may not be as well suited for today's educational challenges. The author produces numerous useful examples for thought and discussion as well as skillfully designed activities for the classroom setting.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!!, February 9, 2004

By	Alan (Santa Clarita, CA USA) - See all my reviews

A great many educational books have been written dealing with how students learn (which is, of course, very important.) Few focus on how teachers learn. Dr. Edward Fiszer does an admirable job of this in his book, How Teachers Learn Best. Dr. Fiszer emphasizes shifting the focus of staff development from the traditional one-shot, isolated sessions to an ongoing, collaborative model which includes peer observations, consistent and constructive feedback, and reflective dialogue among teachers. He also ties the book together with practical and sensible recommendations on how this can be done. Dr. Fiszer's book is a sure-fire, practical model for administrators and supervisors to use in improving the learning capabilities for teachers, and ultimately, those of the students they teach.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Improving Teacher Quality, January 10, 2004

By	"rgallizzi" (Lancaster, California United States) - See all my reviews

Dr. Edward Fiszer has discovered what other educational researchers have discovered as well: that teacher quality makes a difference in student achievement. This book focuses on on-going professional development and what Sparks and Hirsh refer to as "job-embedded" learning. With a focus on teachers as reflective practitioners, Fiszer's book can be used by teachers, principals, staff developers, and superintendents as well. It's good research in an accessible format.