Principal Desirability for Professional Development (AELJ)

Principals are often required to operate educational programs under a growing number of federal and state mandates for which they have limited knowledge and available recourses. This paper presents the results of a survey of 102 principals from 52 elementary schools, 25 middle schools, and 25 high schools within the state of Virginia. The survey instrument was administered during the 2008 school year and contained 25 professional development statements that previous research indicated were necessary for practicing principals. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Virginia public school principals concerning their desirability for professional development training in order to meet current accountability measures. The results were analyzed by the following demographic characteristics: principal experience level, level of school (elementary, middle, or high school), the percentage of minority children, children with IEPs, children with limited English proficiency, and children in poverty; Title 1 status; and AYP accreditation. These results have implications for public school systems to determine principal needs and provide the necessary training to meet current mandates. Additionally, this information would allow advocacy and outreach professional organizations for school principals to design workshops that focus their efforts on the most needed professional development areas

Applying Maslow\u27s Hierarchy to the Parent/Teacher Relationship

We examine the parent/teacher relationship through Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs, which theorizes that physiological and safety needs must be met before someone feels a sense of belonging, and that sense of belonging and esteem are needed for self-actualization (reaching one’s full potential). We discuss ways to meet the basic needs of parents with the purpose of fostering positive collaborative partnerships between parents and special education teachers

The History of Special Education: Lessons from the Past, Implications for the Future

We identify three eras in the history of special education: Early Reform (1800 – 1870), Stagnation and Regression (1870-1950), and Contemporary Reform (1950 – present). Next we examine parallels between eras and consider implications for people with disabilities today, highlighting the importance of the systematic study of historical perspectives in preparation programs for special educators