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What Do Great Teachers Do? Results from an International Comparative Study

Explore findings on outstanding teachers from Australia/New Zealand, China, and the United States to enhance professional development. Discover similarities and differences in instructional activities, engagement, and teaching methods.

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What Do Great Teachers Do? Results from an International Comparative Study

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  1. National Evaluation Institute Louisville, KY October 9, 2009 What Do Great Teachers Do? Results from an International Comparative Study Leslie W. Grant, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor College of William and Mary lwgran@wm.edu 757.221.2411 James H. Stronge, Ph.D. Heritage Professor College of William and Mary jhstro@wm.edu 757.221.2339 Catherine A. Little, Ph.D. The University of Connecticut catherine.little@uconn.edu 860.486.2754 Sun Yaling, Ph.D. Yunnan Normal University ylsun2@163.com

  2. Purpose • To develop a deeper understanding of great teachers and their work cross-culturally • To explore the elements of professional thought and practice in outstanding teachers from different countries • To use the reflective practice of great teachers in understanding and supporting the development of talented teaching professionals and inform teacher assessment systems

  3. Theoretical Frameworks of Teacher Effectiveness Stronge (2007 )

  4. Methods • Purposeful/Convenient Sample • Australia/New Zealand: 7 • China: 6 • United States: 13 • Data Collection • Two-hour classroom observation • Semi-structured interview • Instruments • Differentiated Classroom Observation Scale (DCOS) • Interview protocol based on Qualities of Effective Teachers framework

  5. How do teachers in Australia/New Zealand, China, and the United States compare?

  6. National Context of Teacher Effectiveness Research • U.S. • Federal: No Child Left Behind (NCLB) • State: 50 systems of education • Focus on standards and individuality • China • Nationwide curriculum reform since 2001 • Shift from memorization, drill, and prescribed textbooks to practices that foster individuality, self-expression, inquiry, creativity, and creative thinking skills • Australia/New Zealand • Nationwide focus on teacher quality through Australian Government Quality Teacher Program (2000) • Shift from focus on organizational quality to teacher quality

  7. Instructional Activities Per Observation

  8. Student Engagement Per Observation 1 = low engagement 2 = moderate engagement 3 = high engagement

  9. Director of Learning Per Observation 1 = teacher-directed to 5 = student-directed

  10. Cognitive Level of Instructional Activities per Observation 1 = not evident 2 = evident 3 = highly evident

  11. Most Frequently Used Instructional Activities per Country(Percentage of Observation Segments)

  12. Most Frequently Used Instructional Activities per Country(Percentage of Observation Segments)

  13. Most Frequently Used Instructional Activities per Country(Percentage of Observation Segments)

  14. Most Frequently Used Instructional Activities per Country(Percentage of Observation Segments)

  15. Discussion:Similarities • High engagement • Variety of instructional activities used • Knowledge and comprehension evident

  16. Discussion:Differences • Australia and New Zealand • Application and analysis less evident • More student-directed learning • More individualized instructional activities used • China • More whole group instructional activities used • Analysis and Comprehension most evident • United States • Mixture of whole group and teacher-student interaction • Application, Comprehension, and Knowledge most evident

  17. Interview Results: Major Categories • Educational Purpose and Place in Society • Sense of Purpose • Awareness of Larger Systems and their Influence • Practices and Habits of Mind in Teaching • Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills • Content Knowledge and Content-Specific Pedagogy • Differentiation and Attention to Group and Individual Differences • Development as a Professional • Personal and Professional Growth and Change • Use of Reflection • Relationships

  18. Limitations • Coding reliability • Geographic and grade level representation • Observation sampling • Cultural interpretations

  19. Metaphors for Teaching I think children are like an unfurling flower, everything they need is in them already and that I suppose with my teaching I’m in control of the environment so I could make it too hot or too cold and either stunt or accelerate that unfurling, but it’s all there in the first place. -- Janet (Australia)

  20. Metaphors for Teaching Teaching is like fostering (planting) a piece of seed. You must have a correct values like nutrition, correct view of knowledge like sunshine, correct methods like the farmers’ work. -- Mei (China)

  21. Metaphors for Teaching I like jazz especially and I think of a day kind of like a jazz song where there’s a structure, there’s a melody and there’s a beat and it’s actually very rigid but then once it starts, once the jazz song starts you have to improvise, you have to change things because you know Michelle’s having a weird day or Carman and Robby hate each other again and so you’ve got to adjust and you know it can only get better if you do it correctly… -- Timothy (United States)

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