Author: Gail Anderson Title: Special Ed. Teacher Role: K-12 Classroom teacher Location: Bronx, NY Date: 10-29-06 Professional development that focuses on teachers and their needs should be an integral part of the way a school operates. That means more than just common planning times for teachers to meet during the school day. It also means affording teachers the opportunity to meet and discuss academic and behavioral concerns of their students during Professional Development days. This is important because it is often difficult to formulate an academic, and if needed, behavioral plan, for a student within a 35-40 period of time. 'Student Planning' during Professional Developent days would also allow the time to discuss more then one student. Students that are off-task, and disruptive, pose a serious concern for teachers in some schools. Affording teachers the time to fully devise an academic and behavioral plan for these students may alleviate the stressful situation in the classroom, and make it possible for teachers to effectively teach all students in their classrooms.

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