The Principal Difference: A School Leadership Blog by Mel Riddile: Defining A Good Teacher

by Stuart Singer, The Teacher Leader

In any conversation about education, the views of Bill Gates should be given serious consideration. Unlike many of the other high profile people engaged in this ongoing discussion, his thoughts are not influenced by any professional involvement. Gates does not have a job description to fulfill as does Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. He does not have to speak for teachers like Randi Weingarten. He is not a politician, has no profit motive, or even a former career in education to protect. What he does have is a sincere interest, a powerful commitment and the necessary resources to make competent judgments on the subject. Consequently when I saw an article about him in a recent issue of Parade Magazine I decided it was a must read. One of the most interesting aspects of this discussion was his opinion of the qualities of a good teacher.

Simple but compelling

When asked why there are so many bad teachers and not enough great ones in American public schools Gates replied:

“Very little is invested in understanding great teaching. We've never had a meaningful evaluation system that identifies the dimensions of great teachers so we can transfer the skills to others. The Gates Foundation has learned that two questions can predict how much kids learn: ‘Does your teacher use class time well?’ and, ‘When you're confused, does your teacher help you get straightened out’?”

I found the two questions posed by the Gates Foundation very intriguing. In my experience with teacher evaluations, the process was exclusively top down – in other words, from the perspective of the teachers and administrators. There would be an evaluator who solicits information from the teacher such as classroom goals and objectives. This person then attends classes to observe what activities or actions actually do occur. The evaluation concludes with a discussion of the relevant information with the teacher.

The Foundation questions, on the other hand, were from the viewpoint of the classroom consumer—the student. And based on their research the responses were strong indicators of the level of student learning. Since this outcome is the ultimate goal of education it would seem that some use of this resource would be appropriate. While student input cannot replace the evaluation process, it could bring into the procedure a group of individuals who have a unique perspective on the work of the teacher. Though the two questions mentioned by Gates are very simple, they have proven to be a strong indicator of student learning. Expanding on those inquiries might provide a method to define the basic ingredients of successful teaching. Below I have incorporated them into a ten-part student questionnaire.

Does your teacher use class time well? (Gates)
When you are confused, does your teacher help you get straightened out? (Gates)
Do you believe that your teacher wants you to succeed?
Do you think the teacher is fair and consistent?
Does your teacher have a broad knowledge of the subject?
Does your teacher sincerely care about the subject?
Do you believe your teacher enjoys teaching?
Do you feel that your teacher will spend extra time to ensure that you learn?
Do you look forward to going to this class?
Do you listen to what is being said by the teacher during class?

My question for you is this—what should be added to or subtracted from this list?

Comments

Having been a classroom teacher/coach for 30 years and an administrator- VP and Principal for the past 6 years i struggle with evaluations and mentoring- it gets confused. I was introduced to Student Focus groups last year and have been working on putting them into place. I like what your article said and the questions posed. These are key questions to use in the mentoring/evaluation process.

Posted by: steve miles | November 10, 2010 11:18 AM

The question to ask in determining whether a person is a good educator (teacher, administrator, counselor, superintendant, etc.) is: are the decisions the person makes always in the best interest of the students (as opposed to being in the best interest of the teacher, district, system, or just easiest or most convenient)? One would hope that the answer would always be yes. Unfortunately, often this is not the case.

On a district level, is the decision that is made in some districts not to start school until after labor day in the best interest of the students or in the best interest of businesses (and convenience)? If it is not the former, then the people in charge (superintendant, school board, etc.) are not being good educators. The same can be said for putting all (or most) students in Algebra 1 in middle school.

On a school level, is it in the best interest of the students for all to go from Algebra 1 to Geometry to Algebra 2 in consecutive years (as opposed to some -ESL or struggling students - going from Algebra 1 to Algebra 2 to Geometry)? If the answer is no, then those in charge are not being good educators.

On a teacher level, is it in the best interest for a teacher to pass a student who is barely failing (maybe by 3-4 points)? Sometimes it might be and sometimes not, but if the teacher is doing this in order not to have a confrontation with the parents or administration or the student is taking the first in a series of cumulative classes (ie math), then I say the teacher is not being a good educator.

If all decisions a person makes are in the best interest of the students, then that person is a good educator.

Posted by: William Horkan | November 12, 2010 09:44 AM

Each year I have students do an extensive evaluation of me at the end of the year. Specifics are asked in the form of a rating scale and comments. These are solicited anonymously from all my students. Needless to say, I learn more from them than any administrative evaluation. Unfortunately the days of principals acting as instructional leaders and appearing in-and-out of the classrooms on a daily basis are gone; their jobs have been relegated to data analysis and paperwork. I relish constructive criticism and opportunities to grow as a professional but I look to my peers and students for that advice. Middle schoolers are just plain honest and tell it like it is and as a result, I think I get better every year. I have it in pdf, if you'll just e-mail me.

Posted by: Joanne Robert | November 13, 2010 12:43 PM

First and foremost, good teachers remember what it's like to be a teen or whatever age they teach! Every age/phase a student goes through requires a good/great teacher to have empathy and respect for what the child is experiencing. I remember my sophomore exam time like it was yesterday. My father was hospitalized and was facing surgery. I was uprooted from home to stay with a neighbor...must I say I did unusually poor on my English exam??? When I appealed to my teacher, her attitude was basically one of indifference!!! Also most good teachers glean qualities from teachers they respected and valued the efforts they made in helping them succeed! I remember many good teachers who were fair, excellent role models who expected the MOST from me...and if I didn't accomplish the MOST, then they were there to encourage and offer assistance when needed. Also, with 37 years of experience under my belt, (and still going strong) I LOVE my job...which is to help my students succeed!!! Truly, they are my inheritance and when I get to the end of my life, I WILL have the assurance that I made a difference for many of my students'!
Was I a GREAT student? NO, but I was a good student, I was above average! Do I consider myself a great teacher? NO, but I am ABOVE AVERAGE and I know how to relate to my students in order for them to be successful! I had some very intelligent teachers but they didn't know how to teach and they made NO effort to know me.

Posted by: Ann Chaney | December 1, 2010 12:57 PM