Top Highlights

• These teachers’ practices are as varied as the children they teach. One math teacher encourages his students to use their cell phones to check their work; another uses photography to demonstrate the relevance of math; and a third creates rap songs to reinforce math concepts and, yes, to entertain his students.
• Their responses are touching – A good teacher is soft enough to hug, but too hard to punch; practical – A good teacher is not scared of thunder and lightning and knows what to do when the lights go out; and wise – A good teacher would be fun to have at your house for dinner, but you’d never want him to come for real.
• those who keep their students at the center of their practice.
• First, they actively foster a sense of shared responsibility. Some teachers expect their students to devise rules for classroom management.
• Good teachers also give their students responsibility for their learning.