What Makes a Great Teacher? For years, the secrets to great
teaching have seemed more like alchemy than science, a mix of
motivational mumbo jumbo and misty-eyed tales of inspiration and
dedication. But for more than a decade, one organization has
been tracking hundreds of thousands of kids, and looking at why
some teachers can move them three grade levels ahead in a year
and others can’t. Now, as the Obama administration offers states
more than $4 billion to identify and cultivate effective
teachers, Teach for America is ready to release its data. Based
on his students’ test scores, Mr. Taylor ranks among the top 5
percent of all D.C. math teachers. He’s entertaining, but he’s
not a born performer. He’s well prepared, but he’s been a
teacher for only three years. He cares about his kids, but so do
a lot of his underperforming peers. What’s he doing differently?
One outfit in America has been systematically pursuing this
mystery for more than a decade—tracking hundreds of thousands of
kids, and analyzing why