Professional Development Requires a Discipline for Seeing Wholes

The Jewish community is seeking ways to support learning that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of students. Professional development is an essential element in the educational system that can make that difference. Seeing the impact that high quality  professional development can have in the lives of teachers and students through her work as an educational director and as the Director of the New York RE-IMAGINE Project, Cyd B. Weissman explores four questions that educational leaders should attend to when making decisions about learning experiences for their teachers. (1) What standards and practices established in the field of general education promote high quality professional learning? (2) What are recommended strategies to meet the specialized needs of beginning teachers? (3) What examples of professional learning in Jewish education reflect the standards and practices of secular education? (4) What are the unique needs and circumstances of Jewish teachers that may not be addressed by practices adopted from secular education?