Attention, Gates: Here's what makes a great teacher

02-05-2010

By James D. Starkey/Education Week (subscription required)

Here are the first two paragraphs of a story that appeared in my local paper, The Denver Post, in the fall: “In a quest to find out the best teaching practices, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $45 million to six school districts, including Denver, for a two-year study of teaching. “The Measures of Effective Teaching project will examine the work of 3,700 teachers from across the country, using videotapes, surveys, and student assessments to figure out what works and what doesn’t.” Now, I know I am supposed to applaud the foundation’s philanthropy. And I know I’m supposed to think it is about time somebody stepped in to do something substantive about public education. But I don’t feel that way. I think it stinks. Interestingly enough, further on in the Post article there was a quote from Melinda Gates that said what I really think about this new research windfall. (more...)

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Attention, Gates: Here's what makes a great teacher

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