As long as there have been teachers, there has been an expectation that they be of good character and model virtue. The author describes developments in the thought about teacher dispositions and identifies specific shortcomings in the effort to define and assess them as part of teacher education program accreditation. Virtue ethics as an…

Prior research has contributed to our understanding about the ways teachers communicate their expectations to students, how students perceive differential teacher behaviors, and their effect on students' own perceptions of ability and achievement. Despite more than half a century of this work, historically marginalized students continue to be…

The point of this article is to make a case for teachers of moral disposition without regard for the moral development of students. The article concludes that there are multiple reasons for wanting teachers of good disposition and moral character; that teachers' dispositions are best conceived as modifiers to the methods that they employ; and that…

All those responsible for the preparation of teachers agree that having a highly qualified teacher in every classroom is essential to student academic achievement. The research of the past decade by William Sanders and others clearly demonstrates the significance of the teacher in fostering student growth and academic achievement. What researchers…

This study used a prototype view of teaching as a theoretical framework to interpret, analyze, and describe the behaviors and verbal responses of three expert teachers and to determine the degree to which these three teachers share a "family resemblance" to one another. A case study that provides descriptions of what expert teachers do and say…

Two data-sets were used to assess the relation of teaching performances to pupil learning: (1) direct observations of teaching; and (2) teacher's reports on teaching activities and measures of pupil achievement. (MM)

The teacher educator must look for qualities of openmindedness, flexibility, and high moral standards in prospective teachers since maladjusted persons can damage students. (JD)

Relations between certain cognitive and attitudinal characteristics and the instructional behavior of elementary school teachers are explored. (MM)

In this study, findings consistently support the hypothesis that cognitive style has the most impact during initial learning. (MM)

Eight educational propositions support research that reflects the interacting effects of teacher and learner characteristics on educational outcomes. (MM)

The two major goals of this study were (1) to estimate the magnitude of the effects of teaching performance and (2) to determine if some teaching performances were more associated with greater pupil learning than others. (MM)

The major criticism of all research into teacher effectiveness is that results are too generalized and simplistic. The research is frequently based on perceptions of effective teaching rather than on demonstrated causes of student learning. Alternative research topics and methods are discussed. (JN)

As a teacher educator, the author believes that he must prepare teachers to go forth into schools with a deep understanding of the subjects they will teach, an appreciation for how students learn, and a repertoire of instructional strategies that will help them make learning come alive for their students. As they develop these skills, they must…

Research indicates that teacher effects are detectable and that teachers do significantly influence the academic growth of students. (MM)