The Characteristics of Effective Teachers
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires all teachers to be "highly qualified." Yet a recent study of teachers meeting the NCLB's definition of highly qualified found little to no relationship between teacher qualifications and instructional quality.1
It turns out that hiring highly qualified teachers is simply a regulatory necessity—it does not automatically guarantee high-quality instruction. So what do we look for to determine which teachers will be the most effective?
Effective teachers share not only quantifiable and tangible traits, but also several intangible personality traits that, together, determine their impact in the classroom. By focusing only on the tangible traits that show up in a teacher’s resumé, schools may be overlooking some important metrics or even using the wrong metrics to select teachers.
What matters more
Here are teacher attributes that research says are strongly related to student achievement:
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| Some experience
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Increases in teacher experience tend to have a positive relationship with student achievement for the first few years of a teacher's career before leveling off at around five years of experience.2
While teachers' abilities may continue to improve throughout their careers, being in a classroom with teachers with 15, 20, or 25 years of experience is no more beneficial for students than being in a classroom with a teacher who has five years of experience. |
| Preparation in content and pedagogy
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Many studies confirm that the best teachers have mastered their subjects, understand the learning process, and are experts in a wide range of teaching methods.3
Teachers need solid preparation in their subject area, in teaching methods and in proven strategies for teaching their specific subject area |
| Strong academic preparation
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Many studies report a positive effect on student performance when their teachers attended a college with above-average entrance requirements. This effect is most pronounced with high school students and lower-income students.4 |
| Verbal and cognitive ability
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Research suggests that as much as 15 percent of the variance in student achievement can be correlated to the teacher's ACT scores.
Although there is some disagreement about just how much of an effect verbal and cognitive ability have on student achievement, the research suggests that it does play a significant role.5 |
What matters less
The following attributes, which are commonly-used metrics for hiring and rewarding teachers, have a weak correlation with student performance:
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| Traditional licensure or credentials
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Researchers have found that there are few differences in the achievement of students whose teachers hold traditional credentials or licenses and those with "emergency" credentials.
While licensure is an important consideration, it does not appear to have a significant impact on student achievement. |
| Advanced degrees |
Teachers who have a master's degree or higher do not have any more impact on student achievement than those with a bachelor's degree. In fact, some elementary education research has found that having a master's degree is negatively correlated with student achievement.
The only exceptions appear to be in high school mathematics and, to a lesser extent, science. In these classrooms, students perform better in classroom with teachers holding a master's degree in their respective subject areas. |
Considering intangibles
The attributes listed above are tangible attributes that can be measured or quantified. But there are several intangible attributes necessary for classroom success. Here are a few intangibles that research suggests are important for teachers' effectiveness with students:
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| Belief that all students can learn |
The idea that teachers' expectations for their students affects how well students learn has been well documented. Effective teachers not only have high expectations, but set the right expectations for each student. |
| Belief in their own abilities |
Teachers' beliefs in their own abilities to promote learning has a profound impact on student achievement.6
In fact, teachers' beliefs in their ability to overcome challenges is as important as their actual ability to do so. |
| Ability to connect with students |
Effective teachers know how to connect with their students and demonstrate that they care about every student as an individual. |
| "Withitness" |
Good teachers have what amounts to "eyes in the back of their head" and move quickly to resolve minor classroom management issues before they become more serious.
Jacob Kounin has coined the term "withitness" to describe this key characteristic of effective teachers |
| Emotional Objectivity |
Teachers should be able to address disciplinary infractions without becoming emotionally involved or personalizing students' actions. Good teachers understand the importance of keeping their cool in the classroom. |
Research on teacher attributes leads to the following critical observations:
- No single attribute guarantees teacher effectiveness, and few teachers are likely to display all of the attributes of effective teachers.
- Instructional quality has little or no relationship with the "attributes typically used to regulate teacher quality."7
- Intangible traits, such as teacher disposition and attitudes, play an equally strong role in teacher effectiveness as tangible traits.
For our students, the quality of their teachers can make the difference between success and failure. Selecting the right teachers may be the most important hiring decisions anyone can make.
References
Hanushek, E. A., Kain, J. F., O'Brien, D. M., Rivken, S. G. (2005). The market for teacher quality. (Working Paper 1154). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
Pianta, R. C., Belsky, J., Houts, R., Morrison, F. (2007). Opportunities to learn in America's elementary classrooms. Science, 315 1795.
National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. (1996). What matters most: Teaching for America's future. New York: Author.
Rice, J. K. (2003). Teacher Quality: Understanding the Effectiveness of Teacher Attributes. Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute.
Ferguson, R. F., & Ladd, H. F. (1996). How and why money matters: An analysis of Alabama schools. In Ladd, H. F. (Ed.), Holding schools accountable: Performance-based reform in education. Brookings Institution Press: Washington, DC.
Armor, D., Conroy-Oseguera, P., Cox, M., King, N., McDonnell, L., Pascal, A., Pauly, E., & Zellman, G. (1976). Analysis of the school preferred reading program in selected Los Angeles minority schools. (Report No. R-2007-LAUSD). Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation.
Ballou, D. (1996). Do public schools hire the best applicants? The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 111(1), 98–133.