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EQUIP (Ensuring Quality and Unleashing Improved Performance) – # 2
How Teaching Matters
A recent study, How Teaching Matters: Bringing the Classroom Back Into Discussions of Teacher Quality, conducted by Harold Wenglinsky for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the Milken Family Foundation describes the national picture for teacher inputs, professional development and classroom practices. Data for linking classroom practices to achievement came from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).Considering all aspects of teacher quality, classroom practices appeared to be the most important.
Some key findings are:
- Students, whose teachers major or minor in the subject they teach, are 39% of a grade level ahead of other students in mathematics and science
- Students, whose teachers conduct hands-on learning activities on a weekly basis, are 72% of a grade level ahead in mathematics and 40% ahead in science over students exposed to hands-on activities on a monthly basis
- Students, whose teachers emphasize higher order thinking skills, outperform other students by 40% of a grade level
- Students, whose teachers have received professional development in working with different populations (cultural diversity, LEP students, special needs students), outperform other students by a full grade level (107%) in mathematics
- Students, whose teachers have received professional development in higher order thinking skills, outperform other students by 40% of a grade level
- Students, whose teachers have received professional development in laboratory skills, outperform other science students by 44% of a grade level
How Teaching Matters:
Bringing the Classroom Back Into Discussions of Teacher Quality
Harold Wenglinsky, October 2000
Complete report available at
http://www.ets.org/research/pic/teamat.pdf