What Are the Personal Characteristics of Quality Teachers? Implications for Teacher Recruitment and Selection

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Hiring Practices, Recruitment Strategies, and Retention Efforts and Their Impact on Teachers

Abstract

What are the characteristics of quality teachers? A collaborative partnership was formed in order to address issues of equity around teacher recruitment, selection, and retention. With the goal of developing and validating a framework aimed at ensuring that all students—particularly those in disadvantaged areas—have equal access to quality teachers, the project began with this study on personal characteristics of quality teachers in Australia. We collected survey and focus group data from 50 school leaders employed in high-performing schools across a range of contexts. School leaders ranked and sorted personal characteristics and discussed the challenges of defining and identifying quality teachers. Results and implications from this study will inform further research, policy, and practices in teacher recruitment and selection.

Authors

• Tracy Lyn Durksen, University of New South Wales

• Keiko Bostwick, University of New South Wales