What are Best Indicators of Excellent Teaching?
Bill and Melinda Gates are Looking for Good Teachers
Nov 15, 2009
Everyone has a favorite teacher from elementary, middle or high school. That teacher has made a tremendous impact in the classroom. But, why? What sets one teacher apart from another?
Bill and Melissa Gates Research Project on Good Teaching
The fall of 2009 marks the beginning of a research project that should prove enlightening. Several school districts have opted to participate in this project to videotape and examine the teaching practices of 4,000 teachers. All locations have not been determined but New York City and Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C. are already on the list. Teachers will be closely examined on what effect teaching practices have on student learning.
In addition to observing and analyzing teachers in action, the Gates Foundation will also be evaluating other data.
- Relationship between student achievement and how effective the students view their teachers
- Teacher knowledge of the content area and the ability to teach the content
- Examine test scores for the "value added" component
Test scores will be part of the puzzle along with knowledge and student perception. [1]
Gates Research Project Hopes to Bring Clarity to Good Teaching
Trying to clarify what a good teacher is has led to many conflicts between teachers, administrators and parents. It was often left up to the administrator in the office. If administration was impressed with elaborate bulletin boards and late hours spent in school, the evaluation was good. Another administrator may prefer that teachers follow the Madeline Hunter style of teaching, which was never intended to be an evaluative tool. Yet, another administrator that is threatened by angry parents may rate a teacher highly effective that has few parent complaints making life easier in the office.
Foundation Will Keep an Open Mind
Without any preconceived notion of what a perfect teacher looks like, the foundation promises to not focus on one assessment tool. The research results will focus on several teaching practices. Vicki L. Phillips, director of the foundation’s education division, states, "One of the critiques teachers have – which we think is totally valid and fair – is that their performance shouldn’t be judged on one single measure of anything, whether test scores or observations. We want to take a very independent look at what indicators, when taken together, give you a fair, reliable, clear view of teacher effectiveness that both teachers and researchers can support and embrace." [1]
Cost of Educational Research Project
New York City is expected to receive $2.6 million and Charlotte $1.4 million. The other participating schools will be announced soon. The entire project does not yet have a set budget. Academic areas to be evaluated are biology, math and English language arts.
This study hopes to discover the top teaching practices that provide a good learning experience and determine what the winning combination is for the best results. The student evaluation component will add a new perspective since it is usually not considered in teacher evaluations.
[1] Stephen Sawchuk, "Multi-City Study Eyes Best Gauges of Good Teaching," Education Week, September 16, 2009.
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