When it comes to early reading, a bad teacher can prevent
children from reaching their full potential. That's the finding
of a new Florida State University study published in the April
23 issue of the journal Science. The study, "Teacher Quality
Moderates the Genetic Effects on Early Reading," may put an end
to a longstanding scholarly debate about the amount of influence
teachers have on students' reading achievement. "Teachers have
an effect on student reading achievement," said psychology
Associate Professor Jeanette Taylor, the study's lead author.
"Better teachers provide an environment that allows children to
reach their potential." Scholars know that genetics play the
biggest role in a child's reading achievement, while the
environment — including the classroom experience — plays a
smaller role. This study is significant because it shows for the
first time that teachers have a direct influence on the genetic
variability among children. "When children receive more
effective instruction, they will tend t