 Dear reader,
When you think back to your favorite teachers, what is it that you treasure most?
For me, it was having Mrs. Bashium in fourth grade, encouraging me to become a writer and setting aside an hour a day for me to compose short stories. Her bouffant hair, kindly smile and signature phrase – “always aim for the highest” – came to mind when I read Jill Barshay’s column this week about what makes good teaching.
My own answer had nothing to do with the results of exams I may have taken that year. Yet there are many who believe the hallmark of good teaching is the ability to raise test scores, one reason why “deciding what constitutes good teaching is a messy business,” Barshay writes in this week’s Proof Points, where she looks at new research on this confounding and universal question.
We, of course, would love to hear from our readers about what you think makes a great teacher, along with how to teach about sensitive topics such as race and immigration in a polarized, violent world. We’d also love your thoughts on improving student mental health and on the new labor market, where getting good jobs without a bachelor’s degree has become easier. Finally, please remind anyone you know who cares about education to sign up for our weekly newsletters!
Liz Willen, Editor
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