EFFECTIVE TEACHER STUDY
Max Malikow Assistant Professor Le Moyne College
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to quantify student evaluated teacher effectiveness in order to ascertain the grade level, subject, and characteristics of exceptionally effective teachers as reported by 361 Le Moyne College students. In this study the students were provide with the following definition of exceptionally effective: showing the ability to go beyond the ordinary in producing desired results. The students were instructed that they could select one of their teachers from any grade level or subject. The distribution of selected teachers is as follows: 315 secondar5y teachers, 34 primary teachers, 11 college professors, and 1 parish priest. Subject areas of frequently selected secondary teachers are: social studies (89), English (89), mathematics (55), foreign language (33), and science (27). Personality characteristics most often cited by the students were: challenging/had reasonably high expectations (82), sense of humor (59), enthusiastic (56), creative (39), caring (39), explains complicated material well (39), and flexible instructional style (33).
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NATIONAL FORUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION JOURNAL-ELECTRONIC 2___________________________________________________________
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Who are exceptionally effective teachers and what are their characteristics? This is a study conducted at Le Moyne College from 1998-2004.
I. Introduction A. Statement of the Research Question The purpose of this study is to quantify student evaluated teacher effectiveness in order to ascertain the grade level, subject, and characteristics of exceptionally effective teachers as reported by 361 Le Moyne College students. In this study the students were provided with the following definition of exceptionally effective: showing the ability to go beyond the ordinary in producing
References: Allport, G.W. & Odbert, H.(1936):Trait-names: A Psycho-lexical Study. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 47, 171-220. (1, whole number 211).