The educational world of today’s society demands accountability from its teachers, because, teachers have possibly the greatest opportunity to shape a students life, not just in terms of knowledge but how they view themselves and interact with the society around them. The increased accountability has lead to the necessity for being able to identify and quantitatively assess the characteristics of a quality teacher. In its most basic form a teacher's primary purpose is to provide direction, motivation and knowledge to students ( , ), however the effectiveness of a teacher should not be determined by their ability to impart knowledge alone, the scope in which they achieve this is also of immense importance ( , ). While the effect a teacher can have on a student is undeniable, the dynamics of how a teacher produces an effective result, however, has been of vast debate (Jacobsen, Eggen & Kauchak, 2002; McBer, 2000; Killen, 1998).
There has been an inability amongst academics (Campbell, Kyriakids, and Robinson, 2003; Muijs, 2006) to agree on a set or method for quantifying the characteristics of what makes a teacher effective. This stems from societies progression over time, as the needs of communities have shifted so to has what it deems necessary, and in turn what it requires from its students and teachers. Many theorists () have presented varying, yet interrelated, characteristics of what, at the time, was considered “effective practice” ( , , p. ), however, it would not be feasible to discuss all of these in the scope of this paper. The following aims to address the most frequently mentioned characteristics of an effective teacher including; being professional and proactive,
Teachers that have a tertiary issued degree and belong...
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In 2010, Charlotte Danielson wrote an article, “Evaluations That Help Teachers”, for the magazine The Effective Educator. The purpose of this article was to explain how a teacher evaluation system, such as her own Framework for Teaching, should and can actually foster teacher learning rather than just measure teacher competence, which is what most other teacher evaluation systems do. This topic is especially critical to decision-making school leaders. Many of the popular teacher evaluation systems fail to help schools link teacher performance with meaningful opportunities for the teachers to reflect on and learn from in order to grow professionally. With the increased attention on the need for more rigorous student standards, this then is an enormous opportunity missed. Students can only achieve such rigorous expectations if their teachers can effectively teach them, and research has shown that teachers who are evaluated by systems that hold them to accountability and provide them for continuous support and growth will actually teach more effectively.
As I read these articles, I agreed with almost everything that was said. The Great Teacher Question: Beyond Competencies, by Edward R. Ducharme begins with a sentence that basically sums up my reason for teaching, “I begin this essay by defining a great teacher as one who influences others in positive ways so that their lives are forever altered” (Ducharme, 1991 p. 2). Over the course of a student’s education they will have many teachers, but there are maybe only one or two who are THE teacher. The teacher who impacts this child’s life in a positive way forever. The rest of the articles follow this same theme, suggesting ways that teachers can become THE teacher. One of the most important qualities I found in these articles (and one I
Both teachers and administration need to be held accountable for their actions and professional judgement (Erb, 2006). The success and change in students, is influenced by the changes and actions of the educators working directly with the students (Erb, 2006). Schmitt, focuses on professional development and student success. She expresses that to achieve high levels of student achievement, teachers need to first be skillful and knowledgeable in their methods. This also applies to schools making the commitment to continuously support teachers' ongoing learning (Schmitt, 2004).
Kyriacou, C. (2001) Effective Teaching in Schools: Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. Nelson Thornes Ltd.
Educators are put under microscopic analysis on their failures and success. Teacher’s only worries should be inspiring the next generation to have personal success in their education, which never truly
Accountability for classroom teachers has made student achievement a very important topic in education today. Preparing students for the next stages of life, which is adulthood, is the ultimate goal for educators. The academic content that students learn
What is good teaching? What makes a teacher effective? These are questions that are important for us to address in the education profession. They are necessary for the creation of teacher preparation programs and professional development opportunities. Often times when people attempt to answer these questions, they discuss student achievement on standardized tests.
It is expected that the profession of teaching embraces many qualities of any other professional practice. Teachers must possess a combination of many qualities beginning with a strong academic background and wide-ranging knowledge. The National Framework for Professional Standards for Teaching (2003) it is the knowledge of students, curriculum, subject matter, pedagogy, education – related legislation and the specifically teaching context that is the foundation on effective teaching, and a firm foundation on which to construct well educated judgments.
In today’s America, the educational system has been blaming teachers for the failure of students. This pressure put on teachers causes a lot of unneeded stress and can even be demoralizing. Instructors are always trying to put the student’s
Classroom management is a key element to establish a successful learning environment in any classroom. An effective classroom management plan creates a positive learning environment. Classroom management is affected by the characteristics of the students and their behavior. Students’ behavior is influenced by their age, academic abilities, goals, interests, and home backgrounds (Evertson, Emmer, and Worsham, 2006). Teachers need a diverse array of classroom management skills to facilitate learning. A classroom with a proper management plan will spend less time in disciplining and more time in learning. Students in effectively managed classrooms know and follow clearly defined rules and routines. A classroom management plan should provide for several important factors that influence proper discipline in the classroom (Edwards, 2004).
Clearly, we can pin-point a top-down approach that the government has integrated in the different levels over the years to shape our education system. With such teacher-centric developments flowing in, we can see that the emphasis is now on the stake-holders of the system – the teachers. From my perspective as a trainee teacher, the vision is achievable, however in some instances; I foresee an addition to the countless dilemmas that I would face as a beginning teacher due to the contradicting objectives of the different management levels. It is too simple to pass one-size-fits-all policies and assume it may be carried out in the same way in different schools due to the dynamic nature of schools and students. This essay will be a reflection of determining my role as a teacher and also to look at...
Everyone knows that when it comes to making a difference in a child’s academic and life achievements, their teachers play a large role. A teacher’s ability to relate to their students, and teach them to achieve both socially and academically contributes to how effective they are. What does it mean to be an effective teacher? Overall there seems to be an emphasis on teacher effectiveness related to how well their students are performing on standardized testing. As teachers we know there is more to being an effective teacher then just teaching our students based on tests. This paper will identify different definitions of an effective teacher along with how to assess teachers on being effective.
Teachers’ responsibilities are not limited to the instruction of the student; educators are also responsible for their wellbeing for a goo...
In order for learning to take place in the classroom the teacher has to put in place an effective teaching and learning strategy. Being an effective teacher is not something that can be achieved instantaneously but rather something that has to be continuously developed and improved upon over time. Petty mentions how good teachers are not born but rather make themselves and that effective teaching comes from learning from your mistakes and successes. Petty, p. 516, 2009. This process involves teacher reflection and assessment of the effectiveness of different teaching strategies used in the classroom. It is only then that teachers can learn and advance themselves.
Along these two weeks we have been prompt to make a recall to our own way of learning and why we became a teacher: Was it because coincidence, due to life circumstances, maybe because family tradition, was it a conscious decision or because someone influenced us? Whatever the answer is, we have to face reality and be conscious that being a teacher does not only means to teach a lesson and asses students learning. It requires playing the different roles a teacher must perform whenever is needed and required by our learners, identify our pupils needs and preferences, respecting their integrity and individuality but influencing and motivating them to improve themselves and become independent.