A model for an in-service program for teachers of educable mentally retarded children : a process approach

Abstract

In-service education has historically been, and continues to be, the means by which schools can continue providing for the professional growth of their staff (Good, 1959).

Professional growth of teachers cannot be expected to take place automatically. It is a process which, for the most part, takes considerable effort on the part of school districts. School districts that are willing to expend the effort necessary to insure the development of an in-service program which is in line with the needs of the district can accomplish much in the way of providing for the professional growth of their staff. Such an in-service program, it is believed by the writer, should: (1) be based on the needs of the teachers and be consistent with the values expressed in the district's philosophy, (2) Incorporate those aspects of past in-service programs which literature and experience indicate have been beneficial, (3) Include methods and techniques which use has shown to have merit as well as methods and techniques which are consistent with how learning takes place. and (4) provide relevant means of assessing the programs.

From this writer's personal experience and from a review of the literature, it seems apparent that in-service programs for regular classroom teachers, as well as teachers of the mentally retarded, may have included one or two of these characteristics, but no programs reviewed included all four. In addition, the programs described in the literature seemed to lack systematic developmental procedures as well as implementation plans nor did they contain evidence of having a design which included a comprehensive means of assessing whether or not the in-service program was successful. Success, as employed here, refers to the attainment of the in-service program’s aims, goals, and objectives.