The quality of a teacher can have a huge impact on how much a child learns during the upcoming school year. And research shows that the effects of a poor teacher (or a great one) last for up to three years of a child’s learning.

So how can parents know if their kids are getting the best teachers, when family duties, demanding careers and mounds of bureaucratic red tape get in the way? By paying attention to all the signs that alert a wise parent, you can evalute what makes a good teacher. 

1. Listen to what your children say about their teachers or the teachers of others. Ask questions and listen to them talk about school with friends. Remember, students are in the classroom every day and have a pretty accurate picture of their teachers and their abilities. Good teachers are respected and usually liked by most of their students. Of course, even good teachers have bad days - so be sure to monitor conversations over time to get a fair picture.

2. Examine the communication between your children’s teachers and you. Good teachers prioritize parent commmunication. They keep in touch with parents. They send home classroom rules, course objectives and student expectations. They insist that students record homework instructions in assignment notebooks so parents can check their progress. They call parents at home or at work when they detect a problem. They always return parents’ phone calls promptly and are able to discuss your child and his or her grades. They are polite and never arrogant.

3. Check out the teaching. Ask teachers questions about their teaching methods early in the year during open house.
Good teachers should:

  • use a variety of teaching methods - hands on activities, group work, research, oral presentations etc.use a vareity of technologies including the Internet, audio-visual equipment and computer software to support student learning
  • understand students' learning styles and learning needs and make accomodations accordingly
  • insist that students connect and apply their learning to real life
  • allow students to decide what they'd like to study from time to time
  • be teaching literacy, problem solving and critical thinking skills along with their subject matter
  • discuss evaluation criteria with students before they start assignments and projects
  • use many ways to evaluate students - portfolios, self assessments, quizzes, tests, projects, oral presentations, work-sheets, homework checks, peer assessments etc.

4. Trust your instincts.  At the end of the day, teachers are people. If you have a good feeling about a teacher as a person, chances are this teacher will be a good fit for your child. You are the best judge of what your child needs and from year to year, these needs will change. Bear in mind that children learn different things from every teacher they work with. Some teachers are better for some students, but the best teachers are those who can connect with every child in the class.

 

Carole McGraw teaches chemistry at Notre Dame Prep School in Pontiac, Michigan.