Menu

No tears for the dear departed ‘inservice’ — its time has come

Results

By Joan Richardson
June 2007
I’m planning a funeral service next week, and you’re all invited to attend. We’ll be burying the word “inservice.” We’ll be digging another grave nearby for “delivery of professional development.” In the same general vicinity, we’ll toss shovels of dirt on “training,” “staff development programs,” and “professional development activities.” Even a youngster, “ippy dippys,” will be laid to rest alongside its elders. Instead of dressing in black, however, I invite you to wear your party best. I want bright colors at this service. I plan to wear a “church lady hat” in a brilliant royal blue and festooned with ostrich feathers and ribbons. I might even bring balloons to signify the festive nature of this event. Certainly, there will be food following the service so the celebrants can gather to reminisce about the

Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.

Log In
   

In each issue of JSD, Joan Richardson writes about the relationship between professional learning and student learning. All of her articles and columns can be found at www.nsdc.org.


+ posts

Joan Richardson (joan.richardson@comcast.net) is an independent consultant and writer.


Search
The Learning Professional


Published Date

CURRENT ISSUE


Recent Issues

LEARNING WITH AI
February 2026

Generative AI can be a powerful tool for professional learning design and...

WHAT STUDENTS NEED NOW
December 2025

For all students to thrive, we need to understand who they are and what...

LEARNING COMMUNITIES FOR LEADERS
October 2025

Leaders need opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with peers just as...

MAXIMIZING RESOURCES
August 2025

This issue offers advice about making the most of professional learning...

×

Register your interest

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.