Recently in JSD, we’ve covered a number of what I would call fundamental topics. In the fall, we talked about NSDC’s definition of professional development, outlining expectations for effective professional learning and showing examples of what that looks like in schools and districts. Last winter, our topic was what works in professional learning. In fact, every issue we produce stresses an aspect of professional learning that we find essential. In this issue, we’re back to basics again. What’s different about this? In some ways, not much. What we know to be effective about professional learning always comes back to the foundations. You see these foundations in NSDC’s Standards for Staff Development, in the beliefs, in the definition, in our purpose. These basics are the very