Those Who Can, Teach Essay -- Education, Ryan Cooper

In chapter two of Ryan Cooper’s textbook, Those Who Can, Teach, he lists eight characteristics of an effective school: â€Å"[1] high expectations for student performance, [2] communication among teachers, [3] a task orientation among the staff, [4] the ability to keep students on task, [5] the expenditure of little time on behavior management, [6] the principal’s instructional leadership, [7] the participation of parents, and [8] the school environment† (51). While all eight characteristics above greatly contribute to a school’s overall success, some characteristics have a greater ability to affect the success of a given school. Educators Wong and Wong point out that research consistently says effective teachers exhibit three characteristics: 1) they are good classroom managers, 2) they teach for learning and mastery, and 3) they have positive expectations (8-10). Because I believe the foundation of school effectiveness relies on teachers, I consider the characteristics with a focus on effective teacher-to-student interaction most important. Taken from the list above, those characteristics are (1) teachers who exhibit high expectations for student performance, (3) a task orientation among the teaching staff, and (4) the ability to keep students on task. A teacher’s effect on students is significant because teachers have greater influence on student achievement than a school. Robert Marzano’s study separating a school’s effect on student achievement from a teacher’s effect on student achievement supports this notion. Marzano found that an ineffective teacher in an effective school environment has little to no effect on student achievement. To the contrary, an effective teacher in an ineffective school environment was found to have a ... ...aff, such as paraprofessionals, counselors, librarians, specialists, and even janitors, comes to know and care about the strengths and weaknesses of students as much as teachers and administrators. More importantly, they help to provide solutions to overcoming low student achievement. A motivated support staff also contributes to the overall success of a school. In summary, I believe an effective teacher has the most influence on an effective school. Because of this, I consider Cooper’s characteristics centered on effective teaching as most important. I do also believe that fostering effective teaching skills through effective professional development programs are essential to creating an effective school. Furthermore, I would not discount the roles of non-teachers in the school setting, as they contribute to a school’s overall effectiveness too.