What is Effective Teacher Development

There are several variables that need to be considered when rethinking education delivery for the 21st century. Designing schools as learning centers is more than just about restructuring the physical space of schools. Effective education leadership and administration must successfully align several often-competing goals. These goals include guiding a human-centered organization, consisting primarily of young, evolving learners while continually managing knowledge and information delivery and balancing the needs of students and teachers with the education policy requirements set by federal and state legislation and subsequently interpreted by school districts. This chapter explores the ‘rethinking education delivery' theme through several topics such as learner's comfort levels, teacher- training and professional development, and school district leadership. A case study looks at a six-year research project focused on the effect of district and school leadership styles on teaching and learning.