We all know the effect of a great teacher. We’ve all had experiences with teachers, both good and bad, and can probably attribute lasting affection (or dislike!) of a subject to the teacher who taught it. 

So, what makes a teacher effective in the classroom? Is it the degrees she has, the training she received or her enthusiasm and motivation to teach? 

As you have probably guessed it is a combination of all the above - but what’s surprising is that educational qualifications aren’t key contributors to teacher effectiveness.

In a country like India, plagued with acute teacher shortages, absenteeism and very low student learning outcomes - this might be good news!

It could mean that teachers who don’t have the best qualifications can be effective and contribute to higher student learning outcomes. 

At Teach A Class, equipping teachers with tools that increase or supplement their effectiveness in the classroom is integral to our work. Teachers are the most influential force in a classroom and contribute more to increased learning and long-term changes in learning outcomes than any other factor. (Source: World Development Report - Learning, 2018) 

We asked Radhika Zahedi, (Executive Director - Teaching and Curriculum, Acres Foundation , about the habits of highly effective teachers. She outlined 5 core propositions or key ‘habits’ developed by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), which she uses to build teacher effectiveness and promote student learning. 

1. Commitment to the profession of education - In order to be effective, teachers must want to be - their passion and commitment to the teaching profession is key to effectiveness. 

2. Domain-specific knowledge - This one goes without saying, teachers need to be experts in their subject! 

3. Knowledge related to delivery - Not only do they need to be subject experts, they also need to build expertise in effective teaching practices - like classroom management, monitoring progress or creating a positive environment for learning.

4. Professional responsibilities - Developing a mindset of continuous learning is an essential habit. It enables teachers to adopt best practices and look for new ways to increase their effectiveness.

5. Leveraging professional communities - Radhika believes this is one of the most useful practices to build effectiveness. Speaking to other teachers, learning together and exchanging ideas gives teachers the opportunity to voice their concerns and adopt strategies that have worked for others. Radhika’s own experience with what she refers to as Professional Learning Communities or PLC’s are invaluable  - “in the 6 years I’ve been participating in these, it’s become one of the most powerful ways in which teachers learn from each other.”

How do we build these habits? 

Radhika focused on 3 key ways in which teachers could build effectiveness in their classrooms. 

1. Access to knowledge: Whether domain-specific or delivery related, connecting teachers to courses is essential - for teachers from under-resourced schools, who do not always have the same opportunities for training as others - leveraging technology and connecting them to online courses could help. 

2. Seeing it in action: Teachers need to be exposed to working models or prompted to implement new practices, since hearing about it isn’t enough to make a difference. 

3. Peer-learning models: Creating opportunities for teachers to talk to and learn from each other through Professional Learning Communities is one of the most powerful (but under-utlised) professional resources out there - and doesn’t require a high level of investment from schools. 
   
   Refocusing our priorities on the effectiveness of a teacher over her qualifications or experience could be critical to improving learning levels across the country.