The Importance of Quality Teachers

In a recent NYT article on character development in education ("What If The Secret To Success Is Failure?"), the recent work of Angela Duckworth, a psychology professor, figured prominently.  Duckworth has identified seven character traits that are remarkably predictive of high life satisfaction and outstanding achievement.  These traits are zest, grit, self-control, social intelligence, gratitude, optimism, and curiosity.  Even though the US Military Academy at West Point developed its own evaluation to judge incoming candidates, Duckworth’s 12-item questionnaire turned out to be a more accurate predictor of success at West Point.

            While new and valuable research on improving student learning and lifelong success is always of interest to me, after a few days of thinking about this I realized that these teachable and cultivatable traits indicate more than a fresh way of thinking about education.  They also point out the importance of quality teachers.  While everyone is born with varying degrees of these skills, thoughtful and sensitive adults can help develop grit, self-control, social intelligence, gratitude, and optimism (especially at younger ages).  The remaining two, zest and curiosity, can be encouraged or piqued by caring adults who get to know children well and help them bridge the gap that can exist between their ability or potential and possible venues where they can achieve success.

            While we all know students or people who would be just fine if they were left to their own devices in a room full of books and an internet connection, most of us need some guidance at some point in our early lives in order to help us realize that we have greater potential than we originally thought.  This is something that can’t come from books…every child needs and deserves caring and insightful teachers!