The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies,

Issues and Ideas

ISSN: 0009-8655 (Print) 1939-912X (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vtch20

Preparing Teacher Candidates to be “Effective” in

the Classroom: Lessons Learned from National
Teachers of the Year

Paula Greathouse, Brooke B. Eisenbach & Joan F. Kaywell

To cite this article: Paula Greathouse, Brooke B. Eisenbach & Joan F. Kaywell (2019): Preparing
Teacher Candidates to be “Effective” in the Classroom: Lessons Learned from National Teachers
of the Year, The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, DOI:
10.1080/00098655.2018.1561405

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2018.1561405

Published online: 14 Feb 2019.

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THE CLEARING HOUSE
https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2018.1561405

Preparing Teacher Candidates to be “Effective” in the Classroom: Lessons

Learned from National Teachers of the Year
Paula Greathousea, Brooke B. Eisenbachb, and Joan F. Kaywellc
a
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee, USA; bDivision of Education, Lesley
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; cDivision of Education, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
Defining what it means to be an “effective teacher” is a difficult, but necessary, undertaking, Effective teachers; teacher
as research reveals a correlation between teacher qualities and student success (Buchel and of the year; teacher
Edwards 2005; Darling-Hammond 2000; Lupascu, Pa^nisoa, and Pa^nisoar 2014; Stronge 2007). educators; teacher
education; teacher
The literature on this topic clearly demonstrates that there is no consensus on exactly what preparation
traits and characteristics truly define an effective teacher. Given this lack of agreement,
the question for teacher educators becomes how do we prepare teacher candidates to be
effective in the classroom when researchers, policymakers, and administrators can’t agree on
the traits that encompass what the system has come to deem an “effective” teacher?
Throughout this article, we share our findings from an exploratory case study of National
Teachers of the Year. Through an analysis of personal teacher of the year narratives and
nomination letters, we learned that even in the ever-changing world of education, specific
characteristics and philosophies which support and exemplify outstanding teaching have
remained constant over the years. Award winning educators agree that teacher effectiveness
is realized only through the intersection of curriculum, relationships, collaboration, engage-
ment, and a commitment to further one’s learning. In this article, we offer insight into each
of these ideological constants and discuss the implications they have for today’s teacher
education programs.

If asked to reflect on the teachers who have left
an imprint on your life, you are likely to recall at
least one educator who stands out above the rest.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, you remember
the faces of incredible teachers who helped guide
you, provided a listening ear and comforting
shoulder to lean on, and who, perhaps, assisted
you in finding your voice and place in the world.
But, why do some stand out while others do not?
What magical element permeates the mind and
heart of educators we recall with clarity and
fondness years after their classroom door has
closed? Is it a series of select skills constructed
after years of practice and experience in the field?
Or, is it a particular disposition of passion and
personal educational ideology that speaks to an
inexplicable talent? And most importantly, how
do we prepare teacher candidates to become
this teacher?
Situating our inquiry in the literature
For years, researchers, policymakers, and administra-
tors have strived to identify the traits that encompass
what the system has come to deem an “effective”
teacher. Marzano (2007) and Lupascu, P^anisoara, and
P^anisoara (2014) defined effective teachers as ones
with strong content knowledge, pedagogical skills,
and interpersonal skills. Delaney (2009) suggested
that an effective teacher is one that is interested in
teaching, uses humor, and supports students. Both
Stronge (2007) and Malikow (2005) agreed with
Delaney and added classroom management skills to
that list. Other researchers have focused on specific
pedagogical skills such as questioning, maximizing
time on task, and modeling as key characteristics of
effective teachers (Flynn, 2007; Topping and
Ferguson, 2005). It has also been suggested that exem-
plary teachers are ones that vary their instructional
approaches because they know what all students have

CONTACT Brooke B. Eisenbach Brooke.eisenbach@gmail.com

ß 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
2 P. GREATHOUSE ET AL.
in common – they will excel at tasks that they perceive
as fun, meaningful, and enjoyable (Hart and
Albarracın, 2009).
Trying to define an effective teacher is a difficult,
but necessary, undertaking, as research reveals a
correlation between teacher qualities and student
success (Buchel and Edwards, 2005; Darling-
Hammond, 2000; Lupascu, P^anisoara, and
P^anisoara, 2014: Stronge, 2007). The literature on
this topic clearly demonstrates that there is no con-
sensus on exactly what traits and characteristics
truly define an effective teacher. Given this lack of
agreement, the question for teacher educators
becomes how do we prepare teacher candidates to
be effective in the classroom? We believe that former
National Teachers of the Year can provide us with
some insight on that question.
Why National Teachers of the Year?
Over the course of our years in the classroom,
we (the authors) each were awarded for what
others identified to be effective teaching. We
were selected as our school site’s Teacher/
Professor of the Year and have earned distinc-
tions for our teaching through our state and
national content area councils. Though none of
us progressed further to earn the title of each of
our respective State’s Teacher of the Year, we had
the opportunity to attend presentations and cele-
brations in honor of educators deemed excep-
tional in the field. What we learned from these
experiences is that even in the ever-changing
world of education and the lack of agreement on
the attributes that embody an effective teacher,
specific characteristics and philosophies which
support and exemplify outstanding teaching have
remained constant over the years.
Deemed the best of the best, National Teachers
of the Year narratives describing how they per-
ceive their place, abilities, and purpose in the
classroom amid all the changes, offer us clues
into what is most important in preparing our
teacher candidates. By identifying traits, actions,
and supports these educators have in common as
they labored to reach the hearts and minds of
their students, we hope to offer a view of
“effective” teaching through the lens of the very
people whom our society has deemed exceptional.
Through the beliefs and philosophies of these
outstanding educators, perhaps we can reach a
place where not only the tensions surrounding
what it means to be “effective” can come to rest,
but a place from which teacher educators can
begin to (re)frame their approaches in producing
effective educators.
Methods
 In an effort to gain a more holistic view of the
traits, beliefs, and practices that encompass an
“effective” teacher in order to inform practice
within our teacher education programs, we
employed an exploratory case study method-
ology (Merriam, 1998; Stake, 1995).
 How do National Teachers of the Year describe
teaching and learning?
 How can we use their perspectives to prepare
teacher candidates to be effective in the classroom?
Rationale for an exploratory case
study approach
A case study is the study of a bounded system
(Creswell, 2007; Yin, 2008). Case studies are used
to understand the meanings that people make in
particular contexts (Yin, 2008). Because the par-
ticipants in this study are part of a bounded sys-
tem, all National Teachers of the Year, and share
a common context – the classroom - our explor-
ation of their narratives help us to make meaning
of what it means to be an “effective” teacher.
Therefore, a case study approach for this inquiry
was appropriate. Additionally, this study followed
Merriam’s (1998) characterization of case studies
as being particularistic, descriptive, and heuristic.
This study was particularistic as the participants
in a shared phenomenon were purposefully
selected. This case study was descriptive as the
study’s findings are presented in a detailed man-
ner, providing rich, thick descriptions of partici-
pants’ perspectives of teaching and learning.
Lastly, the study is heuristic as it provides an
interpretation of “effective” educators through the
participants’ voices.
Because the phenomenon within the data
served as a point of interest to us, we employed
an exploratory approach (Zainal, 2007) within

this case study. We sought to discover the
supports that influenced these teachers and how
they attributed them to their effectiveness in
the classroom as a way to guide our own instruc-
tion within our teacher education courses. This
approach allowed us to examine a detailed
account of the participants’ views of teaching and
learning associated with “effective” educators
through the perspectives of those who have been
identified as “effective”.
National Teachers of the Year and the
selection process
The 66 National Teachers of the Year in our
sampling (1957 had two winners) represent a var-
iety of content areas (Social Studies, English,
Special Education, Science, Mathematics, Art,
Music, Vocational Education, Speech) and grade
levels (elementary, middle, and high).
Each fall all 50 states, the District of Columbia,
the Department of Defense Education Activities,
and four U.S. territories select a State Teacher of
the Year. These 56 State Teacher of the Year
recipients submit an application and a narrative
describing their teaching philosophies and beliefs
to the Council of Chief State School Officers
(CCSSO), a council that facilitates this award
process. The CCSSO forms a national selection
committee comprised of representatives from
major national educational organizations to
review each application and determine the win-
ner. Once the committee makes it selection, the
National Teacher of the Year is introduced by
the President of the United States and takes on
the role as a spokesperson and advocate for the
teaching profession.
Data collection and data analysis
We explored the philosophies of teaching and
learning presented within the narratives of every
National Teacher of the Year beginning with this
award’s inception in 1952. All 66 narratives were
public record. We accessed the narratives through
the National Teacher of the Year web page. No
data outside the narratives were collected or
included in this study.
THE CLEARING HOUSE 3
In our exploration, we strived to identify the
common themes within these narratives and the
attributions leading to their perceived success
with students in the classroom in an effort to
inform our own practices within our teacher edu-
cation courses. Narratives were analyzed using
open coding and constant comparison. During
the open coding process, data are separated to
create concepts or terms that represent small
blocks of data (Corbin and Strauss, 2008).
Constant comparison consists of comparing data
from two or more segments of data to look for
similarities and differences in order to determine
trends in the data (Corbin and Strauss, 2008).
Responses were first read holistically to gain
familiarity with the data. All authors coded
responses individually and then collaboratively
identified and defined emerging themes. Four
themes emerged: (1) differentiating and authenti-
cating curriculum for individual students, (2) the
power of relationships, (3) collaboration and
community engagement, and (4) continuous pro-
fessional development.
Findings
No matter the characteristics and attributes one
believes is necessary to be an effective teacher,
National Teachers of the Year all agree that the
ability to impact student learning and achievement
is central to a definition of teacher effectiveness.
But this impact doesn’t magically happen. It mani-
fests itself through an intersection of curriculum,
relationships, collaboration, engagement, and a
commitment to further one’s learning.
Differentiating and authenticating curriculum
for individual students
Teachers often seek the “best” curriculum, texts,
and teaching strategies in order to enhance stu-
dents’ reading, writing, speaking, listening, and
viewing skills. The question most often asked is
this: Is it necessary to follow a prescribed timeline
of essential skills and standards throughout the
school year, or is it preferable to adapt according
to individual classroom strengths and needs?
Despite the recent tensions felt throughout
classrooms as a result of increased attention to
4 P. GREATHOUSE ET AL.
standardized reading and writing assessments,
national award-winning teachers across decades
remind us that teaching should remain focused
on addressing the unique needs of the individual
child. Lawana Trout (1964) shared her belief that
teachers should be willing to “change [their]
technique to meet each student’s need at a par-
ticular moment”. Eugene Bizzel (1957) attributed
a portion of her success in the classroom to her
ability to “control the curriculum.” Rather than
adhere to pre-selected content or course of action
in the classroom, teachers should be open to lis-
tening, reflecting, and adapting to ensure they are
able to meet the needs of the individual. Guy
Rice Doud echoed this sentiment in 1986 by
sharing his belief that “each student must be
treated with respect and recognized for his or her
worth and potential, be challenged, and made
regularly aware of his or her progress.”
Margaret Perry, National Teacher of the Year
in 1955, believed that the most important attri-
bute of an effective teacher is remembering that
we teach children first. Over half a century later,
National Teachers of the Year maintained this
ideology. Sarah Brown Wessling (2010) echoed
this sentiment, stating she believed “learning
must be learner-centered” in order for a teacher
to be effective. She added that as such, teachers
must “create a web of rigorous content, real-
world experience and inquiry-based experiences
around the learner” in an effort to create lifelong
learners through authentic context and audience.
By crafting lessons that are relevant and challeng-
ing for students – ones that recognize the learner
(in all their dimensions and needs) as key in the
learning process – teachers are able to engage
and motivate in ways that move students forward
in their academic and personal growth, making
them effective.
The power of relationships
Not too long ago, classrooms were places where stu-
dents could explore subjects in an effort to discover
what interested them and where their talents lay.
Today’s classrooms are inundated with increasingly
stringent academic demands that have shifted the
classroom from a space of inquiry to a space for
state-mandated standardized assessment preparation.
The impact of this accountability movement has dir-
ectly affected both curriculum and the role of the
teacher. Research informs us that not only has this
movement narrowed the curriculum (Nichols &
Berliner, 2007; Watanabe, 2007), but that teachers
also report a shift in their pedagogical approaches.
Instruction has become more teacher-centered with
direct, explicit teaching of test related content and
skills (Luna & Turner, 2001), leaving little time to
meet the social and emotional needs of students.
With so much emphasis on standardized testing, it’s
easy to lose sight of the social and emotional needs of
our students within our classrooms. While a student’s
emotional well-being may not be examined on
today’s standardized assessments, it is impossible to
separate the intellectual needs of learners from their
daily realities outside the classroom. How can we
hope to teach the whole child if we fail to see the
whole child? So what do award-winning teachers do
to recognize the student as a whole and move beyond
assessment scores as defining indicators of potential?
In addition to a focus on individualized
instruction, award-winning teachers share a com-
mon belief in the power of connection and rela-
tionships. This belief acknowledges that in order
for teachers to be effective in the classroom, they
must reach and mold the academic, social, and
emotional lives of the learner and must be willing
to take the time necessary to know, learn, and
grow with their students. Guy Rice Doud (1986)
shared this belief, reminding teachers that,
“relationships must be established and respected”
in the classroom. Sharon Draper’s (1997) belief
that “the touch of a teacher will make a differ-
ence” in the lives of the individual student, sug-
gests that the formation of relationships as a
teaching tool is “essential and eternal” in order to
be effective. Shanna Peeples (2015) supported this
perspective: maintaining relationships should
remain at the very heart of the teaching profes-
sion. Peeples’ students shared that this belief and
practice encouraged them to “reach [their] ambi-
tions and make use of [their] God- given skills.”
National Teacher of the Year 2014, Sean
McComb, shared his philosophy that deep,
authentic relationships can “turn challenges into
opportunities for excellence for all students”, a
sentiment shared decades earlier by the 1957
National Teacher of the Year Mary Schwarz.

Schwarz’s belief that student achievement tran-
spires when students “develop a security of
belonging”, which she maintains can only be
achieved within classroom environments that
encourage and sustain positive relationships.
Despite the numerous changes in our class-
room foci over time, these national award-win-
ning teachers’ believe that relationships are key
in being an effective educator, and as such, estab-
lishing a classroom of learning and development
remains steadfast.
Collaboration and community engagement
In addition to their belief in the need to tailor
instruction to the individual learner and the
power of connection within the classroom, our
nation’s award-winning educators also believe in
the power of collaboration with families and
other educational stakeholders. Eugene Bizzell
(1957) attributed an aspect of her success in the
classroom to “parental involvement.” More than
20 years later, Janis T. Gabay (1990) shared her
belief that “schools, parents, business, and indus-
try should forge together a focused alliance to
meet the needs of children.” She attributed her
effectiveness in the classroom to “community
involvement and professional development.”
Teachers should draw upon the cultures and
funds of knowledge of their students, families,
and community members to craft a classroom
rich beyond academic measure. In doing so, they
are able to foster relationships that promote stu-
dent learning, as well as respect for diverse voi-
ces, beliefs, values, and experiences. Sean
McComb’s (2014) focus on community outreach
and engagement provides his students their own
sense of service towards others and further assists
them in their goal of achieving the “American
dream.” Sarah Brown Wessling (2010) actively
engages community members in projects that
move students beyond the classroom and pro-
vides an authentic context and audience to fur-
ther examine and follow their own ambitions. By
collaborating and engaging the community,
Whirry (2000) claimed students are able to “seek,
embrace, and truly celebrate the act of learning.”
THE CLEARING HOUSE 5
Continuous professional development
As we grow in our understanding of content,
adolescent development, and pedagogy, we also
develop in our abilities as educators. Outstanding
teachers refuse to remain stagnant. With each
new day, they learn more from the people – stu-
dents, families, colleagues – who surround them
and commit to adapting their practice and devel-
oping the traits that lead to success in
the classroom.
As our world changes, so should our
approaches to teaching. Obviously, teachers must
know the subject(s) they teach, but they also
must know how to present the material in ways
that are appropriate and engaging for their popu-
lation of students. National Teacher of the Year
Terry Weeks (1988) suggested, “teachers must
have a constant hunger for knowledge” and
“always search for better ways to teach.” Teachers
know and continue to learn their content while
continuously finding alternative methods and
strategies to present the material to students at
their varying stages of development. National
Teachers of the Year Janice Gaby (1990), Marliyn
Whirry (2000), and Kimberly Oliver (2006), echo
this belief, sharing that professional development
and collaboration are keys to their success in the
classroom. Roger Heyer (1975) added that mem-
bership and participation in professional organi-
zations is a great tool for teachers as they strive
to be effective in the classroom.
Implications and recommendations for
teacher education
In reflecting on the words shared within the nar-
ratives of National Teachers of the Year, it seems
evident that while so much continues to change
in the realm of education, there remain constants
in terms of effectively reaching and teaching the
minds and hearts of student learners. To begin,
the power of human connection, and a teacher’s
heartfelt determination to listen, reflect, and
address the needs of the individual learner in an
effort to educate the whole child has remained at
the center of effective pedagogy for decades.
The lessons we learned through the National
Teacher of the Year narratives remind us that as
6 P. GREATHOUSE ET AL.
teacher educators, we must ensure we give time
and attention to the attributes that work together
to create an effective and passionate teacher. We
must find ways to infuse course focus and field
experiences that help teacher candidates under-
stand and apply the following:
 Social emotional learning competencies within
their lesson preparation and practice,
 Classroom community practices that foster rela-
tionships of mutual respect and care,
 Means of establishing and maintaining two-way
dialog with parents and families, and
 Abilities to see each learner as a unique individ-
ual with specific needs, strengths, and funds
of knowledge.
Authentic lesson planning and preparation
As teacher educators, it is important we arm
teacher candidates with knowledge regarding the
current state of curricular mandates and practice
within today’s classroom environments. Not only
do they need to be aware of the realities of
increasingly scripted curriculums, prepackaged
unit plans, and limitations of teaching to a test,
but we must also prepare them to differentiate
and modify instruction to ensure they are teach-
ing to the interests, talents, strengths, and needs
of the individual learner. Just as National
Teachers of the Year give attention to differenti-
ating their instruction, in preparing our candi-
dates to become effective, thoughtful educators,
we must also aid them in finding ways to tailor
planning and instruction to the needs of the stu-
dent. While it is important to provide candidates
a solid structure in developing their first lesson
plan and helping them to see how their objectives
speak to their intended assessments and lesson
procedure, it is key we help them see how the
context of the classroom and the individual
learners must speak to their planning and prepar-
ation. We should strive to assist them in seeing
how lesson planning is more than identifying a
creative or “fun” lesson. It is about crafting les-
sons that speak to the individual learner – lessons
that empower, rather than strictly engage.
One way we can accomplish this is to encour-
age teacher candidates in the field to take time to
get to know the students, the context of the class-
room, and the culture of the school. As they
begin writing lesson plans, we should push them
to reflect and share how their lessons speak to
their knowledge and understanding of the stu-
dents. What about the learners has informed their
lesson planning decisions? How are they infusing
greater focus on student choice and voice in their
content, context, or practice? Help them under-
stand and identify effective means of differentiat-
ing, and encourage them to work with
supervising teachers to break down the mentor
teacher’s planning and preparation first-hand.
Establishing relationships in the field
Researchers have spent decades researching the
impact of relationships on student learning and
achievement (see Baker, Grant, Morlock, 2008;
Bronfenbrenner, 1974; McCormick, O’Connor,
Cappella, & McClowry, 2013). Overwhelmingly,
they have found a correlation between relation-
ships and student academic and personal growth.
Our National Teachers of the Year support this
evidence, suggesting that effective teachers are
ones that form and sustain positive relationships
within classroom environments. In teacher educa-
tion programs, teacher candidates should not
only learn theories of community and care and
strategies for forming and sustaining such rela-
tionships, but they must be afforded opportuni-
ties to do so with students in the field.
Candidates need time in the field – through
methods coursework and practicum experiences
– to not only observe mentor teachers as they
engage in their classroom communities, but to
also get to know and engage with students. They
need opportunity to speak, work, share, and
engage with students in a way that allows them
to apply what they are learning within their edu-
cation programs with regards to relationship and
community-building. They need time to reflect
on these experiences, identify their own strengths
and areas of development with regard to class-
room community-building, and also understand
ways to maintain resiliency as they encounter the
stories and experiences shared by students as a
result of forging such caring communities and
relationships.

We can begin by modeling community-build-
ing strategies in our courses such as providing
time to get to know our candidates, establishing
and maintaining a class agreement of respect and
support, and giving space for student voice and
choice within our own course materials and cur-
riculum. Then, we can unpack such strategies
and engage candidates in opportunity to practice
and reflect on such strategies in the field.
Effective teachers take time to know and care for
their students. They see them as individuals with
promise and knowledge. It is essential for our
teacher candidates to be informed of the signifi-
cance of relationships, and for us to be there to
assist them as they strive to cultivate relationships
that demonstrate care while maintaining high
expectations for learning and engagement in
the classroom.
Engaging the community
National Teachers of the Year demonstrate the
importance of cultivating positive relationships
with families and community members. Teacher
candidates should see the value in building such
positive, two-way relationships with their stu-
dents’ families. However, many of our candidates
witness teacher-parent relationships that are
more one-sided (teacher reaching out to the
guardian to provide information), or family con-
tact that comes at a time when the student is
struggling in the classroom environment or in
their academics. In addition, because many of
our teacher candidates do not know where they
will be placed for their final field experience or
because they are limited in opportunity to engage
with families due to a number of factors beyond
their control (e.g. families with hectic schedules
and limited availability, limitations put upon
them by the school or district, etc.), it can be dif-
ficult for them to build solid community relation-
ships. For this reason, it is important we find
ways to help our candidates see family engage-
ment as more than a phone call home to report a
child’s challenges and to help them see the value
in taking time to explore and learn about student
lives outside the classroom walls.
One activity that can promote candidate
engagement and reflection within the school
THE CLEARING HOUSE 7
community is a field placement scavenger hunt
(Moulton, et al., 2017). This activity, adapted
from Moulton et al.’s (2017) #alwaysready field
activity provides candidates opportunity to spend
time exploring and learning about the assets of
the school’s community and community mem-
bers. For this activity, candidates are encouraged
to explore the community surrounding their
school site for locations such as shelters, food
pantries, places of worship, recreational centers,
and more. Then, students share what they discov-
ered, reflect on how such locations serve as an
asset to students and community members, and
consider how these assets speak to family and
community engagement. Although candidates are
often limited in their time within field place-
ments, incorporating activities such as this, along
with opportunity for observation and reflection
of teacher and family communication provides
teacher educators greater opportunity to prepare
candidates for this essential element of effective
instruction.
Encouraging professional development
beyond teacher preparation
Learning should not stop when a teacher receives
their degree and begins teaching. Research dem-
onstrates the significance in connecting novice
teachers with a positive mentor (Paulsen,
DeFonte, and Barton-Arwood, 2015) and in fur-
thering their professional learning and growth
(Feiman-Nemser, 2001; Gallego, Hollingsworth,
and Whitenack, 2001). The key is to help teacher
candidates become aware of this necessity from
the start, and to help them connect with others
within the profession before leaving their pro-
gram of study. Many of today’s school districts
lack the funding necessary to provide teachers
with the depth of professional development we
might hope to see them obtain (Darling-
Hammond, Hyler, and Gardner, 2017).
Therefore, if we hope to see our candidates
graduate from their teacher certification program
with an outlook on the value of professional
development and learning as demonstrated by
those leading the profession, we need to assist
them in developing a professional learning net-
work (PLN) from the start.
8 P. GREATHOUSE ET AL.
In addition to supporting our teacher candidates
by inviting them to join and participate in local,
regional and national teaching organizations, we
can introduce them to free, technology-based
PLNs – groups of teachers who collaborate, learn,
grow and celebrate one another’s initiatives and
successes in the classroom. Such PLNs can be
found through technology applications, such as
Voxer – a walk-talkie group chat application, and
Twitter – a free social media platform. Voxer pro-
vides candidates and teachers a space to engage in
an ongoing collaborative chat focused on a variety
of topics, grade level ideas, content areas, and
more. Candidates can download the program, and
join an ongoing chat that addresses an aspect of
education or instruction that speaks to them on a
personal, professional level. Twitter provides space
for regular, pre-scheduled educational chats.
Teachers from across the world come together on a
weekly or monthly basis to collaborate and engage
with one another as a PLN focused on a wide array
of educational foci. We can introduce students to
such technological opportunities to expand their
PLN, connect and learn from teachers and candi-
dates alike, and find the value in learning from the
experiences of teachers from around the country
and world.
Conclusion
Award-winning educators do not spend their
days memorizing characteristics and skills that
have been considered to be “effective”. Rather,
they immerse themselves in the moment and in
the unique experiences each new day brings to
the classroom. They strive to encourage critical
thought, a strong sense of self-efficacy, and to
address the needs of the individual student on a
daily basis. In doing so, they engage in actions
that exceed the expectations of effectiveness, and
strive to stimulate change in the hearts and
worlds of their students. These ideologies can
offer teacher educators maps in preparing teacher
candidates to be effective in the classroom.
Teacher educators must find ways to prepare
teacher candidates to differentiate their instruc-
tion in an increasingly standardized curriculum
and provide their students an authentic, relatable
experience in the classroom. Contemporary
students deserve exemplary teachers who share
these common philosophies held by our National
Teachers of the Year, philosophies which encom-
passes a sense of the importance and the joy of
teaching, a passionate belief in students’ ability to
succeed, a recognition of the teacher’s role in
helping students succeed, and a passion for life-
time learning for themselves and for the students
whose lives they touch. These are the characteris-
tics and attributes that have defined an “effective”
teacher for decades!
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