In Kati's Blogs: What Makes a Teacher Effective?
Education Trust President Kati Haycock posted the following on the National Journal education blog :
During his talk at the Aspen Ideas Festival, “Precious” screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher took my breath away by illustrating the importance of teachers with a quote from the Talmud. The passage, which begins the novel on which the movie was based, reads: “Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, ‘Grow, grow.’”
Fletcher aptly described effective teachers as people whose spirits stay with us for the rest of our lives, quietly offering nudges of encouragement. Even after their students leave school, the voices of these teachers linger in their ears saying, “You can do this. You really can.”
Great teachers may come in different packages and work in various settings, but they all share three qualities: a commitment to clear and high expectations, an unwavering conviction that their students can meet those standards, and the dedication to help their students every step of the way.
The truth is that kids work hardest for their strongest teachers—the ones who personally engage them and help them succeed. When you ask students—especially those growing up in challenging circumstances—about their most influential teachers, they’ll say things like, “Mr. Wilson treats us with respect.”
The harder students work, the more they grow. And student growth needs to be at the heart of the new teacher-evaluation systems that states and districts throughout the country are creating.
Building a strong system of assessments won’t happen overnight, but better teacher evaluations don’t have to wait until the systems are perfect. Classroom observations by principals and specially trained peers can help identify strong teachers as well as those who need to improve. In addition, students and parents can offer helpful feedback for school and district leaders seeking insights into how well students are engaged.
A functional teacher-evaluation system is a beginning step in overhauling American education. Less effective teachers won’t magically get better based on evaluations alone. But creating effective systems is crucial.
Any organization that strives to improve takes performance evaluation seriously. They know that employees need clear standards, an honest appraisal of their performance in relation to those standards, and guidelines to help them improve. When school systems treat all teachers as equally effective—which is what most districts today actually do—they seriously undercut any improvement efforts.
Mounds of research show that teacher quality is the most important factor in growing student achievement. Kids with three strong teachers in a row can soar, regardless of family background. Kids who have even two weak teachers back to back rarely recover. We know we can’t compromise on teacher quality. Our kids deserve teachers who can foster growth.
A more honest teacher-evaluation system will help us restore fairness to an American education system that has grown increasingly inequitable. Instead of identifying strong teachers and assigning them to the children who enter school less prepared and behind their peers, we do exactly the opposite—and this increases the gaps between poor and rich, minority and white.
If we want to spur learning gains for low-income students and students of color, we must provide them with effective teachers whose support and encouragement will follow them throughout their lives.
