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This paper uses machine learning methods to identify key predictors of teacher effectiveness, proxied by student learning gains linked to a teacher over an academic year. Conditional inference forests and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator are applied to matched student-teacher data for math and Kiswahili from grades 2 and 3 in 392 schools across Tanzania. These two machine learning methods produce consistent results and outperform standard ordinary least squares in out-of-sample prediction by 14-24 percent. As in previous research, commonly used teacher covariates like teacher gender, Education, experience, and so forth are not good predictors of teacher effectiveness. Instead, teacher practice (what teachers do, measured through classroom observations and student surveys) and teacher beliefs (measured through teacher surveys) emerge as much more important. Overall, teacher covariates are stronger predictors of teacher effectiveness in math than in Kiswahili. Teacher beliefs that they can help disadvantaged and struggling students learn (for math) and they have good relationships within schools (for Kiswahili), teacher practice of providing written feedback and reviewing key concepts at the end of class (for math), and spending extra time with struggling students (for Kiswahili) are highly predictive of teacher effectiveness. As is teacher preparation on how to teach foundational topics (for both Math and Kiswahili). These results demonstrate the need to pay more systematic attention to teacher preparation, practice, and beliefs in teacher research and policy.

Education --- Effective Schools and Teachers --- Machine Learning --- Student Achievement --- Teacher Effectiveness --- Teacher Mindset --- Teacher Performance --- Teacher Value-Added

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As nationwide calls for educational rigor and accountability continue across the U.S., many states have made the edTPA, a teacher performance assessment, a requirement for teacher certification. The edTPA is a subject-specific performance assessment that requires aspiring teachers to plan, implement, assess, and reflect upon a learning segment, while demonstrating pedagogical skills related to their disciplines. While it is designed to promote teaching excellence, the edTPA can drive already-stressed teacher candidates to their breaking point, as it places them in an unfamiliar classroom and asks them to quickly display their knowledge and savvy. This book is here to help teacher candidates not only survive the challenge of the edTPA, but also thrive. It maps out precisely what steps aspiring secondary education teachers should take to ensure successful completion of the edTPA. Demystifying the language used in the assessment, it uniquely connects edTPA requirements with what teacher candidates learn within their teacher preparation programs, showing them how the assessment relates to what they are already doing in their classrooms. The strategies in this book draw on both academic research and practical experience to guide student teachers as they plan for their edTPA portfolios and for their teaching careers beyond.

Education --- Employment portfolios --- High school teachers --- Portfolios in education --- Student teachers --- Certification --- Training of --- Rating of --- teacher performance assessment, teacher certification, pedagogical skills, teaching, teacher, classroom, secondary education, degree, teacher training, teacher assessments, teaching guide, teacher preparation, edTPA, lesson plan template, learning segment template, classroom strategies, teacher strategies, aspiring, teachers.