Enhancing program implementation and maintenance through a multiphase approach to peer-based staff development

Abstract

School-based health education programs often are limited by failures in implementation and maintenance. While inservice training has proven beneficial, teacher training research indicates that the more complex the demands on teachers using innovative psychosocially based health education curricula, the greater the necessity for post-inservice follow-up staff development. Evidence is presented that 1) teachers respond to innovations in developmental stages, 2) a multiphase approach to staff development is necessary to assist teachers during each stage, 3) post-inservice staff development requires opportunities for teacher collaboration, 4) approaches to staff development should fit the stage of teacher development, and 5) the organizational context of staff development is critical. Peer-based approaches to post-inservice staff development are presented, with a review of strengths and limitations of each approach.