In some respects any effort to create a definitive list is likely to fail because great teachers are as different as the students they teach. All teachers have their own unique mixture of qualities. It is this individuality that ultimately makes a teacher special. Each teacher is different, but nearly every great teacher has some fusion of the essential qualities of passion, inspiration, humour, respect and resourcefulness. They have a devotion to their subject.
They exhibit fun and pleasure when their students achieve and improve their skills and knowledge in a specific area. A good teacher is able to communicate this passion; indeed they cannot hide it. What's more you can't simply fake passion, all great teachers seem to have real passion for their subject. Teachers can, and do, improve lives. They can illuminate the darkest mind. They can create beliefs and behaviours, setting an example to follow.
They can determine choice of university and degree course. They can have a direct influence on careers. But what is a good teacher?
And what are the qualities of such a teacher? According to educators, students, and education researchers, good teachers:. Pedagogy, simply put, refers to the method and practice of teaching. A strong pedagogical grounding is not something that future teachers are born with; they develop a pedagogical understanding and practice over time through high-quality teacher preparation programs, ongoing teacher training, experience in the classroom, and discussions with other teachers.
For would-be teachers to give themselves the best shot at becoming a great teacher someday, they should give careful thought to where they begin their own pedagogical training. While comprehensive education is an important foundation for teaching, a strong resume is not necessarily the most reliable indicator of a high-quality teacher.
A great teacher is more effectively defined by his or her success and performance in the classroom. Favorable metrics are one thing. Nonetheless, it should be noted that many argue that the quantitative research that is used by Hattie to determine good teaching is flawed. These findings are not radical or counter-intuitive: who will argue that believing in students, the teacher knowing the subject matter or assessing well will not improve learning? Can we and should we extrapolate further?
The whole question of culture is worth investigating. To what extent is the transactional language of 'attainment', 'value-added', 'results' and 'scores' not so much an expression of scientific truth but of cultural bias? When administrators come across different teaching styles, different accents, different ways of communicating - and these are cultural - how do they feature on an observation sheet?
And which evidence from which countries involving which learners was used to determine the checklist in the first place? Qualitative studies among Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities in Australia make it clear that culturally responsive pedagogy is of vital importance to students. Cultural aspects such as reverence for the land and the wisdom of elders might not fit into the Western constructivist paradigm, and why should it?
A study carried out on Chinese students showed that the ethical framework of the teacher was of paramount importance to them, something that had not been mentioned in teacher appraisal documentation. School leaders have to be culturally responsive, taking into account the cultures of students and teachers before jumping at standardised descriptions of what good teaching is.
At my school, we ask teachers to set their own goals. We trust them as professionals to identify something meaningful to them and their ecosystem of learning. Certain coaching questions might be asked to dig deeper into the value and identity of those goals, but the goals are not prescribed exogenously, they come from within.
This is because great teaching is not merely a predictable, observable, externally measurable fact as the social sciences would like it to be. There are too many nuances, shades of grey, areas of context.
This does not mean that we do not have exigencies and standards: feedback must be given, everybody should be treated with respect, care must be given for every child. We know that high-quality teachers make all the difference in the classroom. We also know that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find them and keep them. Twenty percent of new teachers leave the classroom after four years, and many teachers will be retiring in the next 15 to 20 years.
Among the recommendations were the following key points:. Implementing these recommendations, however, is a slow process, dependent upon legislation as well as increased funding from both the federal and state governments, and a will to implement changes at the school district level. Parents can work together to keep the superintendent, their school board members and their state legislators focused on the goal of having a high-quality teacher in every classroom.
Give Kids Good Schools This Internet-based campaign, a project of the Public Education Network, makes it easy for parents and community members to lobby government officials to take action to improve the quality of teachers.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards This organization provides information on voluntary advanced national certification for teachers. Learn more about the program and how you can encourage teachers in your school to obtain National Board Certification. McEwan, Elaine K. Cooperman, Saul, How Schools Really Work , Catfeet Press, Written by a former superintendent, this helpful book provides easy-to-follow steps for evaluating and improving schools.
Bennett, William J. Intrator, Sam M. Full of passionate stories, the essays reveal why teachers teach and the challenges they face. Next: Jockeying for teachers. Choosing the wrong college can be bad for mental health. How students can benefit from randomly assigned college roommates.
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