Abstract
Purpose of the Study. The purpose of this study was to determine the adaptability of the TIP, a model of staff development, to an elementary Jewish day school. The TIP is a voluntary, systematic, confidential, structured model, designed to increase teacher effectiveness through the exchange of ideas, perceptions and suggestions between the individual faculty member and the teaching consultant. It consists of a series of structured, guided activities which identify teaching strengths and weaknesses and which assist the teacher in implementing those strategies deemed appropriate to effect improvement.Three basic questions were considered: (I) To what extent, if any, will the TIP be adaptable to the Jewish elementary day school? (II) To what extent, if any, will the TIP perceived by those teachers involved in the process, as being worthwhile and of benefit to them? (III) To what extent, if any, will there be improvement in the teaching skills of the teachers involved, as measured by the pretest and posttest Teaching Analysis By Students (TABS), the self perceptions by teachers and the perceptions of the teaching consultant?Sample and Procedures. The TIP was implemented with five teachers in a Jewish elementary day school in Miami. The process included the following stages: data collection phase; data review and analysis by the teacher and teaching consultant; selection of areas for instructional improvement; implementation of strategies for improvement; data feedback on extent of change in teaching acts; and evaluation of the TIP.Results and Discussion. This study found the Teaching Improvement Process to be adaptable to the Jewish day school, and, in its focus on the improvement of specific teaching skills, to be especially relevant to the day school setting where there is a special need for teacher effectiveness in light of the double curricular program of the school.The study found a highly positive response on the part of the teachers that the TIP was of benefit to them and worthwhile. By teachers self perceptions and by the perceptions of the teaching consultant, the study found positive changes as defined by each of the measures of improvement in teaching skills. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)