Effective Classrooms: Teacher Behaviors that Produce High Student Achievement Educational Research Service (ERS) is the nonprofit foundation serving the research and information needs of education leaders and the public. ERS provides objective, accurate, and up-to-date research and information for local school and school district decisions. The Informed Educator Series May 2000 Gary S. Mathews, Ph.D. Superintendent Carroll I.S.D., Southlake, TX Cabinet Meeting, November 6, 2002

Parents have always known that it matters a lot which teachers their children get. That is why those with the time and skills to do so work very hard to assure that, by hook or by crook, their children are assigned to the “best” teachers…. Research proves that parents have been right all along. --Katy Haycock, 1998 “Good Teaching Matters A Lot,” Thinking K-16.

Researchers analyzed data for third- grade, fourth-grade, and fifth-grade students in 54 Tennessee school districts. RESULTS: ….the most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher. In addition, the results show wide variation in the effectiveness among teachers. --Wright, Horn, & Sanders, ’97 “Teacher and Classroom Context Effects on Student Achievement: Implications for Teacher Evaluation.” Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education.

Results cont’d: The immediate and clear implication of this finding is that seemingly more can be done to improve education by improving the effectiveness of teachers than by any other single factor such as socio- economic status or prior achievement levels. -- Wright, Horn, & Sanders, ‘97

Researchers have found that highly effective teachers were generally effective with all students, although lower-achieving students were the “first to benefit” from assignment to an effective teacher. Results: Using data from two large Tennessee districts, these researchers also studied “residual” effects of teacher effectiveness on later student achievement.

Students who were assigned to the classrooms of relatively ineffective teachers, and the next year were in classrooms of very effective teachers made excellent academic gains, but not enough to offset previous less-than-expected gains.

The researchers found that: “….the effects of teachers appeared to be cumulative, with the difference of almost 50 percentile points between a student who had effective teachers for all three grades (3, 4, and 5) and a similar student who had a low- effectiveness teacher for all three grades.” --Sanders & Rivers, ’96 “Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Student Achievement.” University of Tennessee

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS These teachers have: “….high energy and the ability to help all students learn— the low achievers, the average achievers, and the high achievers.”

“They keep themselves and their students on task.” “They tend to be among those who arrive early and stay late. Interestingly, they frequently are described as having a good sense of humor.” --Bratton, ’98 “How We’re Using Value-Added Assessment.” The School Administrator

WHAT HELPS STUDENTS LEARN? Of 28 categories of variables related to student learning, classroom management ranked first! The researchers definition of classroom management included effective questioning/recitation strategies, learner accountability, smooth transitions, and teacher “with-it-ness”.

The Effective Teachers  “….were extremely aware of what was happening in their rooms. They were virtually always in a position where they could see everyone in the room….(they) seemed extremely attuned to intervening before a problem escalated in the classroom. Like good parents, these teachers seemed to possess a sixth sense for when things became too noisy, or even too quiet, in an area of the classroom….”

WHAT HELPS STUDENTS LEARN  “Teachers were consistent in their management techniques, so children knew what was expected of them and consequently carried out work that needed to be done.  The day flowed smoothly from one activity to another, and routines were regular. The activities were varied to keep children engaged.  Furthermore, the affective quality in the rooms was exemplary; teachers were warm and caring….In such an atmosphere, children learned to respect the teacher and one another.” --Morrow, et al., ’99 “Characteristics of Exemplary First-Grade Literacy Instruction.” The Reading Teacher “Characteristics of Exemplary First-Grade Literacy Instruction.” The Reading Teacher

THE “MOST ACCOMPLISHED TEACHERS”  Managed, on average, to engage virtually all (96%) of their students in the work of the classroom….  In contrast, the on task rate for “moderately accomplished” teachers was 84%  While the on task rate for the “least accomplished” teachers was only 61%.

Numerous studies have also identified aspects of good classroom management as being strongly linked to higher levels of student learning:  The classroom management system emphasizes curriculum-related activities. The teacher does not see discipline as a separate issue or “set of controls.” Faced with a problem, such teachers “find something the student is interested in, find something else the student can do, find something else the student can share.” -- In other words, these teachers view discipline primarily as a natural consequence of their ability to interest and involve learners.” – Haberman, ‘95

Other Findings related to Effective Teaching/Classroom Management: > The teacher is consistently well prepared and follows predictable, although not rigid, patterns of behavior and activities. Students know what is expected of them. > The teacher minimizes disruptive behavior by redirecting students in a positive way before the problem becomes overt. --Wharton-McDonald, Pressley & Hampton, ‘98

SOME IMPLICATONS FOR CISD  Recognize teacher behaviors that produce high student achievement. (“High expectations” are more than just raising the bar for students. They are what good teachers do to get students ‘over the bar.’”)  Recruit these teachers.  Retain these teachers.  Reward these teachers.  Train future teachers to be the kind of teacher that produces high student achievement regardless of student background. [Staff Development]