The Power of An Effective Teacher

Teachers mold the minds of future generations,prompt natural curiosity and stoke the fires of

passion in children who are not even aware theirpassion exists yet.

These vital individuals inspireyoung minds to perceive andunderstand, to witness and

analyze, to learn and retain.

Yet, how we assess theseessential labor roles isoften subject to debate.

What makes one teachermore effective than

another? Moreengaging? Better?

Well, there is measurable data illustrating just whatexactly the difference is between these low-performing and high-performing instructors.

Bill Sanders, a former member of the University ofTennessee’s Value-Added Research and Assessment

Center, conducted a conclusive study that offersactual tangible data assessing teachers’ impact on

preadolescent children. Sanders tracked theacademic progression of students in what he deemed

were “low-performing” classrooms as well as theprogression of students in “high-performing”

classrooms.

Sanders found that children whowere placed in the high-

performing classrooms scored onaverage in the 96th percentile on

the Tennessee standardized tests.For those children placed in a

low-performing class, the averagetest score was at the 44th

percentile. Thus, it would seemthat teachers are potentiallyresponsible for a massive 52

percent differential inperformance.

Clearly, instruction plays a tremendous role inaiding academic prowess. Yet, how we foster and

cultivate an environment of instructionalexcellence remains open to question.

Perhaps if we were to increase the effectiveness of ourevaluation methods, or if we were to increase the

objectivity of instructional feedback, we could betterprovide a more effective learning experience for both

teachers and students, and ultimately bettereducational institutions everywhere.

While I do not know the exactanswer to the question of

education, I do know we shouldbe working together to solve it.

Students need teachers andteachers need us. Let us be there

for them.