Written for staff in schools and colleges, this book offers the challenge and support necessary to understand, analyze and adopt coaching, mentoring and peer-networking mechanisms as an essential part of the development of professional learning within an organisation. Drawing on the new national strategy for professional development, it emphasises the importance of learning with and from other colleagues, helping your organisation to become a professional learning community and supporting the drive to raise standards and attainment.

Organised into nine distinct but interrelated chapters, this is an invaluable sourcebook of practical information for in-service training. It contains a range of stimulating activities which engage the reader and encourages reflection on:

* the nature and importance of professional development in schools and colleges
* the potential benefits and difficulties associated with coaching, mentoring and peer-networking
* factors essential to the successful establishment and management of coaching and mentoring programmes
* team leadership and leadership coaching
* the role of the coach, mentor and networker with respect to the creation of professional learning communities.

Geoff Hampton, Christopher Rhodes, Michael Stokes

1.Effective Professional Development: The Internal and External Environment 2. Coaching, Mentoring and Peer-networking: Changing Practice and Raising Standards 3. Developing Coaching, Mentoring and Peer-networking in Your Own Organisation: Needs Analysis to Best Practice 4. Adult Learning and Reflective Practice: Supporting Professional Learning 5. The Key Role of the Team Leader: Developing Skills and Managing the Process 6. Leadership Coaching: Developing the Profession by Collaboration 7. Raising Performance and Embedding Changes: Modelling the Standards and Assessing Impact 8. Overcoming Barriers: Leadership and Management Issues in Coaching, Mentoring and Peer-networking 9. Towards a Professional Learning Community: A New Strategy for Professional Development