Elizabeth Green on Education and Building a Better Teacher

Teaching Methods

Elizabeth Green emphasizes the importance of language in teaching, highlighting how a lack of professional terminology in the U.S. hinders the craft of teaching. She contrasts this with Japan, where a specialized language for teaching exists, aiding in the development of teaching as a craft 1. Green also discusses the importance of practicing specific teaching techniques, such as monitoring students and knowing when and how to intervene 2. This practice allows teachers to refine their skills and improve student outcomes.

In Japan, there is a very different culture that focuses on teaching as a craft, there actually is just this same kind of language to describe teaching.

--- Elizabeth Green

Russ Roberts notes that his wife's experience with these techniques has led to a more effective classroom environment, demonstrating the potential impact of these methods 2.

   

Practicing Skills

The discussion on practicing teaching highlights the need for targeted training to build better teachers. Green explains how Doug Lamont's approach at Uncommon Schools focuses on developing teachers through practice rather than solely hiring already skilled educators 3. This method involves creating scenarios that mimic classroom environments, allowing teachers to practice and hone their skills before facing real students.

What he tries to build and what I think is one of the pieces of evidence for why we can build better teachers is systems for helping teachers do what another researcher calls approximations of practice.

--- Elizabeth Green

Roberts compares this to baseball, where even skilled players continue to practice to improve, suggesting that similar dedication in teaching could enhance educational outcomes 4.

   

Role of Feedback

Feedback plays a crucial role in enhancing teaching effectiveness. Green discusses how Uncommon Schools utilize subject-specific mentorship and common curricula to provide teachers with valuable feedback, a practice often lacking in traditional school systems 5. This feedback helps teachers understand what works and what doesn't, enabling them to refine their methods.

If teachers don't learn what works and doesn't work and most of us only learn that through as you point out in the book, most teachers are sort of in this little island called their classroom.

--- Russ Roberts

Roberts6.