Differences That Make A Difference Defining the Extraordinary Teacher.

Differences That Make A Difference

Defining the Extraordinary Teacher

What Makes Extraordinary Teachers Different From Very Good

Teachers?

The Question To Be Answered Is:

Characteristics

• A Number of characteristics have tentatively been identified

• They arbitrarily have been categorized as professional or personal

• All very good teachers may display many of these characteristics… the extraordinary the extraordinary teacher tends to display all or most of them teacher tends to display all or most of them consistently and with intensityconsistently and with intensity

Professional Characteristics

• Time is of the essence

– Teaching is done “bell to bell”, in our case, beginning to end of class. There is no such thing as “down time”.

– Bellringers start the class and “free time” is seen as teachable time!

– They’re fast paced… talk fast… write fast… time is of the essence.


• Exceptional organization

– Housekeeping (attendance, homework collection & distribution, etc.) is done seamlessly.

– Teachers have a system for keeping track of all things they need to keep track of.

– They have a clear view of and plan for the year.


• Seamless use of tools and opportunities

– Seamless change in teaching strategies throughout the day.

– Students seemed to know what would happen next.


• Students co-own the class – Students seem to know what comes next and move on their own

to the next step.

– Teacher allows the students to say “I pass” on direct questions.

– Students have respect for each other.

– Teacher makes notes.

– Teacher says “trust me – I can get you through this”.

– They frequently “dipstick” the class to assess what students know and take immediate intervention if needed.

– Students take on responsibility for their learning.

– Teacher frame of mind is not “what am I doing”, it’s “what are the students doing”.


• Some differences that don’t make a difference.– The building

– Diversity

– Seating

– Gender

– Teacher demeanor: students pick up on whether the teacher really wants them to learn or not.

– Time doesn’t make a difference: no excuses!

Personal Characteristics

• Passionate – Enthusiastic – Competent– Competency sometimes came from what the teacher

did outside of class: professional organizations, etc.

– Not all of their knowledge came from textbooks! They use other sources.

– They’re the “unlabeled” leaders in the school.

– Unofficial “mentors” to other teachers.

– Students say “they know their stuff”!


• Teacher/Performer

– There is a performance aspect to what they do.

– They keep moving… use street talk…sense of a theater.

– Teachers should take an acting class! You’re doing up to 5 shows daily… make it exciting.


• Experience Counts

– Most of the “excellent” teachers they found had no less than 7 years experience.

– What you’ve done outside the classroom, in another professional world, counts! Teach that to the students.


• Highly Verbal – Articulate- Clear Voice

– Research showed that more highly articulate teachers created more successful students.


• Committed to success

– “You know more than you think you do”.

– They’re a coach!

– They’re not afraid of the test.


• Widely Recognized

– As unofficial leaders and mentors, “everyone” knows who they are. Think of someone you consider an excellent teacher. Do they have these qualities?


• Pleasantly Neurotic– A little bit off the wall.

– Students perceive you as fun.

– Do your own thing (not necessarily against administration, but not always strictly following the rules).

– Love doing things differently just to see how things work.

– Comments from Frank McCourt on Life Lessons from Teaching

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10049232/

Some Resources

• Danielson, Charlotte, Enhancing Student Achievement – A Framework for School Improvement, ASCD, 2002

• Danielson, Charlotte and Thomas L McGreal, Teacher Evaluation –to Enhance Professional Practice, ASCD, 2000

• Instructional Strategies – How to Teach for Rigor and Relevance, International Center for Leadership in Education, 2000 (work by Dick Jones)

• Marzano, Robert J., What Works in Schools, ASCD, 2003

• Stronge, James H., Qualities of Effective Teachers, ASCD, 2002

Differences That Make A Difference Defining the Extraordinary Teacher.

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