Thousands of educators who are involved with teacher professional development--from training to hiring, mentoring to supervising--rely on this authoritative book to focus on cultivating teacher qualities that are most apt to raise student achievement. Now, this new edition extends this results-based approach to include teachers who work with at-risk and high-ability students. Synthesizing decades of research into clear guidelines, James Stronge establishes definitive benchmarks for top-flight teacher education and professional development programs including: (1) Which teacher preparation factors are most likely to affect student achievement, including educational coursework, ability test scores, certification, and content knowledge; (2) What kinds of skills and attitudes to look for in teacher candidates; (3) Which aspects of a teacher's job most often yield gains in student learning; and (4) How to spot "red flags" that are sure signs of ineffective teaching. Useful skills checklists and detailed steps help you quickly implement this book's proven strategies.