COURSE TITLE:

QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS (No Longer Available for Registrations)

NO. OF CREDITS:

1 QUARTER CREDITS
[semester equivalent = .66 credits]

WA CLOCK HRS:  
OREGON PDUs:  
PENNSYLVANIA ACT 48:  
10
10
10

INSTRUCTOR:

Mary Ann Johnson
maryajohnson-advisor@comcast.net

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

(As of 10/10/2023 - This course is no longer available - Please review the updated Qualities of Effective Teachers in the 3-quarter credit course, Six Indicators of Highly Effective Teaching.)

James Stronge has created a rare book describing effective teachers, because his book is based on the premise that it is the classroom teacher as a person that makes the biggest difference in studies of effectiveness, and he devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 2) to “The Teacher as a Person.”  Also included are focuses on the ways a really effective teacher is prepared, manages the classroom, creates instruction, delivers the lesson, and checks and responds to students.  Part 2 of the book moves from information about effective teaching to follow-up checklists, “red flags of ineffective teaching,” subject-specific indicators of effectiveness, and finally follows up with very interesting annotated research summaries and quality resources to explore further.

The author has been a teacher and counselor, has been a district-level administrator, and as a college professor at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, has focused on the fairest ways to evaluate teaching and support personnel.  He has written many publications including a book called Evaluating Teaching:  A Guide to Current Thinking and Best Practice (Corwin Press).  The book which is the center of Qualities of Effective Teachers is, perhaps, his most personal and appreciative of the skills and practices of excellent teachers. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:

  1. A personally-focused exploration of the attributes of effective teaching.
  2. A resource which condenses almost every important study into a convergence of a profile of effective teaching.
  3. The validation of the importance of both the personal and the professional attributes.
  4. Become involved in powerful teaching.
  5. A checklist for self-assessment, to allow personal focus and follow-up in any aspect of the effectiveness profile.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.


HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns participants their choice of CEUs (Continuing Education Units), Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, or Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, and Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours.




 

UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION

REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires 75% or better for credit at the 400 level and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level. These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.

  1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments 30%
  2. Completion of Learning Application assignments 40%
  3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment 30%



 

CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to a "C" or better, 500 level credit is equal to a "B" or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.

AUS Continuing Education quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering, determine with your district personnel, department head, or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

REQUIRED TEXT

Qualities of Effective Teachers, 2nd Edition, by James H. Stronge, 2007.

  • Qualities of Effective Teachers, 2nd Edition
    ISBN# 1416604618
    by Stronge, James H.
    Brand: Association for Supervision n Curriculum Deve

    Buy from Amazon

MATERIALS FEE

Text, Qualities of Effective Teachers, 2nd Edition (2007) cost is approximately $13 from Amazon used.

ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION

Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. 
Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

Assignment #1: To Be An Effective Teacher.

From Part I What It Means to Be An Effective Teacher, Introduction  
Consider the best teacher you’ve ever known—either one of your teachers or a teacher you have observed. 
What made that teacher so memorable?  In what way has that teacher been influential in your life?

Assignment #2: Characteristics.

From the Introduction: 
What are the specific characteristics and behaviors that you can associate with that effective teacher?

Assignment #3: Prerequisites.

From Chapter 1 Prerequisites of Effective Teaching
The book provides information about a person’s background in relationship to classroom effectiveness. How do the five features contribute to teacher effectiveness?

Assignment #4: Faculty Demographics.

From Chapter 1:  A school faculty is comprised of diverse individuals. 
What faculty demographics should be highlighted to demonstrate that a school has an effective teaching faculty?

Assignment #5: Do You Care?

From Chapter 2 The Teacher as a Person 
How can you tell if a teacher cares about students?  What is the evidence?

Assignment #6: Motivation.

From Chapter 2:  How do teachers motivate students?

Assignment #7: A Question.

From Chapter 2:  Why are teachers’ affective characteristics so highly valued by students in surveys and interviews?

Assignment #8: Improving Classroom Organization.

From Chapter 3: Classroom Management and Organization 
Think about how a kitchen is arranged with easy access to ingredients and appliances.  How could you improve the classroom organization to make it more conducive to student success?

Assignment #9: Some Strategies.

From Chapter 4:  Organizing for Instruction 
What strategies do effective teachers use to maximize instructional time?  Which ones do you use or would you recommend in your approach to effective classroom organization?

Assignment #10: Implementing Instruction.

From Chapter 5:  Implementing Instruction 
What are pros and cons of various instructional strategies?  Should certain instructional strategies be prescribed for all teachers to employ or is teaching an art in which the teacher should select strategies based on the nuances and needs of the particular classroom?  Why?

Assignment #11: About Homework.

From Chapter 6:  Monitoring Student Progress and Potential 
How do effective teachers help their students get the most benefit from homework?  Do they assign more homework?  Is it consistent use of homework?  Meaningful homework?  Feedback on homework?  Other aspects of homework?

Assignment #12: The Effective Teacher.

From Chapter 7:  Effective Teaching: What Does It Mean?
Reflect on the effective teacher you identified earlier.  How many of the effective teacher characteristics discussed in the book did that teacher embody?

Assignment #13: Checklists.

From Part II:  Section 1:  Effective Teacher Skills Checklists   
Consider your own strengths on the checklists provided, and then write what you thought were the 3 most important learnings you took from reading the indicators on one or more of these checklists. 

Assignment #14: Categories.

From Part II:  Section 2: Teacher Responsibilities and Teacher Behaviors 
Choose one (1) of the categories for effective teaching. Select the top five (5) characteristics from that category and tell why you selected them as the most important. 

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

B. LEARNING APPLICATION

In this section, you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you do not have a classroom available to you, please contact the instructor for course modifications. Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. ​Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

 



Assignment #15: Lesson Development.

Assignment #15:   (Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Assignment #15-A:
  • Adapt a lesson reflecting what you’ve learned in this course.
  • Implement your lesson with students.
  • Write a 250-500 word commentary on what worked well and what could be improved.
  • Include any student feedback on your lesson.
  • Share what you’ve learned with other teachers taking our courses by adding your Lesson to The Heritage Institute Lesson Library here.
  • For a sample lesson plan template click here.
  • Submit your modified lesson to your instructor via the online response box or file upload.
OR
Assignment #15-B:
  • Adapt a lesson reflecting what you’ve learned in this course. (Do not implement it.)
  • Share your learning with other teachers by contributing your Lesson to The Heritage Institute Lesson Library here.
  • For a sample lesson plan template click here.
  • Write a 500+ word article about a noteworthy teaching success you’ve had with one or more students.
  • Please refer to the guidelines on our blog What Works: Teaching at its Best prior to writing your article.
  • When you submit your article to your instructor, please also email a copy to Yvonne Hall THI blog curator and media specialist.
  • Indicate whether or not you are OK with having your article considered for publishing on our website. 
  • Submit your lesson to your instructor via the response box or file upload.

Assignment #16: (500 Level ONLY)

In addition to the 400 level assignments, complete one (1) of the following assignment options:
Option A) Create a PowerPoint presentation for a group of colleagues. Focus on key ideas and inspiring innovations to augment current practices.
OR
Option B) Compare and contrast this book with another related book or online research of articles.  For online research be sure to include URLs.

C. INTEGRATION PAPER

Assignment #17: (Required for 400 and 500 level)

SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments)

Write a 400-500 word Integration Paper answering these 5 questions:

  1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
  2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
  3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
  4. How, when and where will you use what you have learned?
  5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you learned?


INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:

Instructors will comment on each assignment. If you do not hear from the instructor within a few days of posting your assignment, please get in touch with them immediately.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:

Mary Ann Johnson, M.Ed Adm. has worked with students of all levels, from alternative high school to gifted classes. She has also been a junior high vice principal and is now working with teachers for continuing education in classes, distance learning and building leadership groups. She is a teacher emeritus who has led seminars for educators which focus on developing a quality learner environment for students and for teachers. Her courses are research-based and resonate with user-friendly and energizing content.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS (No Longer Available for Registrations)

ALVY, Harvey & ROBBINS, Pam. Learning from Lincoln, Leadership Practices for School Success, ASCD,2010, pb,192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4166-102306.
In a fascinating focus on ten qualities of Abraham Lincoln that would grace any leader, but especially a leader of a public service vocation, Alvy and Robbins bring anchor stories of Lincoln’s  key moments and decisions that inform and inspire anyone  working to lead and improve the quality of life for others in his/her domain.  Primary source examples of Lincoln’s personal trials and his compassion lead to personal reflections for the reader to consider in their own Leadership Story.  This is a powerful review of American history that leads to a personal exploration of one’s own leadership style.
COSTA, Arthur L, & KALLICK, Bena. Discovering & Exploring Habits of Mind, pb 106 pages, ASCD, 2000.  This is the beautiful introduction to the list of 16 types of intelligent behavior that Costa and Kallick have termed “habits of mind.”  In this book, you will find out what are these 16 indicators of intelligence, and find a visual icon for each.  (There is also a website with famous quotations for each of these habits of mind.)  At the end of the book you’ll find exciting and inspiring ways for teachers to teach directly what these habits of mind are for students, in many creative and motivating strategies to deeply process their appeal and power.  Hint: My favorite is “managing  impulsivity.”  Intelligent, indeed!
DECI, Edward L.  Why We Do What We Do, New York, NY. Penguin Books, 1995. 230 pages. ISBN 0-14-025526-5.  This is the most often referenced book on the subject of intrinsic motivation. It establishes the goal of helping others find the long-term benefits of choosing what is the most worthwhile and satisfying course of action instead of settling for the goal of gaining compliance.   It is very readable and refocuses a person on why it is honorable and important to help people gain the knowledge of self-direction and self-control.
ERWIN, Jonathan C. The Classroom of Choice, Giving Students What They Need and Getting What You Want, Alexandria, VA.  ASCD. 2004. 229 pages.
ISBN 0-87120-829-6.  Based on Glasser’s beliefs that people have these motivators:  fun, freedom, power and belonging.  Give students choices, and they will pick what meets an unmet need. It is rich and wonderful, full of practical and engaging strategies to achieve important intellectual goals while helping students meet their developing social and intellectual needs.  Erwin believes that while learning is hard work, it doesn’t have to be painful:  Fun is both a prerequisite for and a byproduct of quality learning.
ERWIN, Jonathan, Inspiring the Best in Students, pb, 210 pages, ASCD, 2010.  When you wonder what would be the greatest gift you could give your students, it would probably be the skills of social and emotional development, and in a classroom, it would include helping students meet their most basic needs.  Both are the focuses of this book.  The intrinsic needs defined as Choice Theory by William Glasser  include  survival, love and belonging, power, freedom and fun.  Erwin translates that information into specific lesson plans to teach students how to enjoy feeling good and emotionally safe, having friends and feeling accepted, feeling a sense of competence and importance,  experiencing  independence, and being able to laugh and play.  The teaching strategies are specific and will guide you to the joy of teaching what really matters to students.
GREGORY, Gayle, & KAUFELDT, Martha. The Motivated Brain:  Improving Student Attention, Engagement, and Perseverance, 2015, pb 169 pages, ASCD
If you have been interested in brain compatible teaching,  you will find this a great addition to your search for information  on strategies for presenting information and helping students deeply understand and retain it.  This book adds the other important dimension of brain research, the power of motivation to learn, or to seek to explore for deeply satisfying personal growth.  Full of ideas you can use in enthusiastic ways!
HARRIS, Bryan. Battling Boredom:  99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement, pb, 133 pages, Eye On Education, 2011. If you want to increase the variety of ways to increase student involvement and thinking, you will find 99 possible strategies  to help engage your students, and probably banish any boredom you may be experiencing as well.  The strategies in this book are divided into seven categories, including work for whole class groups, pairs, and individuals, as well as for reluctant learners.  No special equipment or preparation is required.  Eric Jensen, brain researcher, has endorsed it as “the most practical engagement book on the market.”
GRUENERT, Steve & WHITAKER, Todd.  School Culture Rewired:  How to Define, Assess, and Transform It, pb, 175 pages, ASCD, 2015.  The hardest job for most administrators is to deal with a school culture that is not healthy.  In the process, there can be disappointment  for leaders in managing the course corrections.  But with the directions given leaders in this book, there are many insights to avoid likely pitfalls and to point out  a wide range of leverage points when changes are most easily made. The book is encouraging and realistic as a guide for the difficult job of rewiring a school’s negative culture without causing career  and personal pain.