Teach Effectively!

Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media is promoting its “Tools for Reporting on Teaching: What to Look for in Classrooms,” a Web site aimed at helping journalists know what to look for in teaching. It’s a dang clever idea, because the illustrations set the agenda for reporters. Those who buy the vision of teaching put forth on the site will likely look askance at some examples they see in classrooms and provide favorable views of classrooms that are similar to those portrayed on the site.

These videos, and the commentaries from Judy Johnson, the Executive Director of the Cotsen Family Foundation, are meant to help journalists learn the main elements of great teaching and what they look like in classrooms. This video makes explicit what is obvious, but unstated, in each of the others: To find evidence of great teaching, watch and listen to the students.

I like that idea. Ms. Johnson’s got it on the nose when she says, “In the end, great teaching is measured by its effects on students.” Now, let’s see about agreeing on which student behaviors we’ll measure…ahh, that’s the task of the policy makers (who should be the local community): Set the measurable goals of education.

But, about the videos: What do we see? There are videos of teachers talking, making pitches for their beliefs. There are also illustrations about physical environment, social environment, instruction (2 examples), content, assessment, effects on students. Check ‘em. I wonder to what extent the ideas shown here reflects the views of the faculty at Teachers College, a collaborator on the Hechinger Institute.

Here’s the link to the site. I’m considering creating polls in which Teach Effectively! readers could vote on the usefulness of these videos. What do you think?