Literature Review
Throughout this section, the concept of “highly effective teachers” is examined, particularly its correlation to fostering relationships with students and other faculty. This review focuses on three components that develop highly effective teachers: professional learning communities (PLCs), professional development, and instructional coaching.
What is a highly effective teacher?
Love and Kruger (2005) note that highly effective teachers create a community of learners who resemble an extended family, perceive teaching as a part of their calling, and have high expectations for the success of all students. Similarly, Duncan-Andrade (2007) identifies five traits of highly effective teachers: a critically conscious purpose, a sense of duty, preparation, Socratic sensibility, and trust. The major theme of relationships weaves through the literature on effective teachers. Research implies that without these relationships, it is almost impossible to motivate students and ultimately achieve academic success.
Fostering Relationships with Students
Flynt and Brozo (2009) state that effective teachers “understand the importance of building meaningful relationships with students as a context for greater participation and more enthusiastic learning” (p. 536). A middle school study conducted by Strahan (2008) identifies how teachers increased the number of successful students through specific relationship building techniques. Strahan (2008) finds that “not only could [teachers] describe in detail the emotional, physical, cognitive, intellectual, and family needs and circumstances of students in their classes, they addressed these needs by responding to students as individuals” (p. 4). He further explains that “when a student learns to trust a caring teacher, he or she can begin to take chances, find the will to invest effort in a task, and receive the guidance needed to improve skills. Trusting relationships thus constitute a ‘threshold’ of action, a point beyond which meaningful learning can occur” (p. 5). Moreover, Goddard, Tschannen-Moran, and Hoy (2001) agree that “when teachers believe their students are competent and reliable, they create learning environments that facilitate students’ academic success” (p.14).
Fostering Teacher Collaboration around Instruction
Studies show that teacher collaboration about instruction is “linked to positive changes in teacher practices, higher expectations for students, the willingness to use innovative materials and methods, and improved student achievement” (Thibodeau, 2008, p. 55). In Thibodeau’s study, “the resulting instructional changes led to less teacher-directed learning and more student-centered practices in many classrooms. These strategies also allowed teachers to grow from one another and gain an increased sense of security in knowing that they could rely on one another for multiple areas of expertise” (p. 59).
Coaching and Professional Development
Research on effective teachers also highlights the importance of two fundamental practices: the use of peer-to-peer coaching and job-embedded professional development. Peer coaching is defined as “a collegial process whereby two faculty members voluntarily work together to improve or expand their approaches to teaching. Peer coaching may be reciprocal, with each partner serving as coach to the other, or it may be one-way with one partner serving as the coach and the other as the recipient of the coaching” (Huston & Weaver, 2008, p. 6). Reciprocal coaching is most effective with experienced staff who have similar levels of experience, while one-way coaching is best used as a mentor-to-mentee relationship where the senior teacher serves as the coach and the other faculty member looks to the coach for assistance (pp. 8-10). Little (2005) asserts that peer coaching empowers teachers by creating “communities of teachers who continually engage in the study of their craft [as well as] an interactive reciprocal relationship among professionals” (p. 87). Darling-Hammond and McLaughlin (1995) contend that there must be blocks of time for teachers to plan collaboratively, strategies for team planning, sharing and learning, and cross-role participation from various teachers, administrators and others on campus.
Scheeler, Ruhl, and McAfee (2004) found that feedback and professional development are essential to help teachers inform their instruction. Moreover, Knight’s (2007) research cites that the teachers who showed the greatest gains had coaches with high expectations who provided affirmative and honest feedback. While the most successful schools capitalize on the use of authentic feedback, Reeves (2003) notes that time is a constraint. Similarly, Yost (2006) asserts that in order to develop highly effective teachers, administrators need to provide teachers with “opportunities for success” to facilitate growth, and that “teachers need knowledge of how to reflect as well as time to think about their practice” (p.61). This research indicates that effective teachers engage in substantive relationships with their students and colleagues.
What is a highly effective teacher?
Love and Kruger (2005) note that highly effective teachers create a community of learners who resemble an extended family, perceive teaching as a part of their calling, and have high expectations for the success of all students. Similarly, Duncan-Andrade (2007) identifies five traits of highly effective teachers: a critically conscious purpose, a sense of duty, preparation, Socratic sensibility, and trust. The major theme of relationships weaves through the literature on effective teachers. Research implies that without these relationships, it is almost impossible to motivate students and ultimately achieve academic success.
Fostering Relationships with Students
Flynt and Brozo (2009) state that effective teachers “understand the importance of building meaningful relationships with students as a context for greater participation and more enthusiastic learning” (p. 536). A middle school study conducted by Strahan (2008) identifies how teachers increased the number of successful students through specific relationship building techniques. Strahan (2008) finds that “not only could [teachers] describe in detail the emotional, physical, cognitive, intellectual, and family needs and circumstances of students in their classes, they addressed these needs by responding to students as individuals” (p. 4). He further explains that “when a student learns to trust a caring teacher, he or she can begin to take chances, find the will to invest effort in a task, and receive the guidance needed to improve skills. Trusting relationships thus constitute a ‘threshold’ of action, a point beyond which meaningful learning can occur” (p. 5). Moreover, Goddard, Tschannen-Moran, and Hoy (2001) agree that “when teachers believe their students are competent and reliable, they create learning environments that facilitate students’ academic success” (p.14).
Fostering Teacher Collaboration around Instruction
Studies show that teacher collaboration about instruction is “linked to positive changes in teacher practices, higher expectations for students, the willingness to use innovative materials and methods, and improved student achievement” (Thibodeau, 2008, p. 55). In Thibodeau’s study, “the resulting instructional changes led to less teacher-directed learning and more student-centered practices in many classrooms. These strategies also allowed teachers to grow from one another and gain an increased sense of security in knowing that they could rely on one another for multiple areas of expertise” (p. 59).
Coaching and Professional Development
Research on effective teachers also highlights the importance of two fundamental practices: the use of peer-to-peer coaching and job-embedded professional development. Peer coaching is defined as “a collegial process whereby two faculty members voluntarily work together to improve or expand their approaches to teaching. Peer coaching may be reciprocal, with each partner serving as coach to the other, or it may be one-way with one partner serving as the coach and the other as the recipient of the coaching” (Huston & Weaver, 2008, p. 6). Reciprocal coaching is most effective with experienced staff who have similar levels of experience, while one-way coaching is best used as a mentor-to-mentee relationship where the senior teacher serves as the coach and the other faculty member looks to the coach for assistance (pp. 8-10). Little (2005) asserts that peer coaching empowers teachers by creating “communities of teachers who continually engage in the study of their craft [as well as] an interactive reciprocal relationship among professionals” (p. 87). Darling-Hammond and McLaughlin (1995) contend that there must be blocks of time for teachers to plan collaboratively, strategies for team planning, sharing and learning, and cross-role participation from various teachers, administrators and others on campus.
Scheeler, Ruhl, and McAfee (2004) found that feedback and professional development are essential to help teachers inform their instruction. Moreover, Knight’s (2007) research cites that the teachers who showed the greatest gains had coaches with high expectations who provided affirmative and honest feedback. While the most successful schools capitalize on the use of authentic feedback, Reeves (2003) notes that time is a constraint. Similarly, Yost (2006) asserts that in order to develop highly effective teachers, administrators need to provide teachers with “opportunities for success” to facilitate growth, and that “teachers need knowledge of how to reflect as well as time to think about their practice” (p.61). This research indicates that effective teachers engage in substantive relationships with their students and colleagues.