Date of Award
2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the instructional methods and personality traits of highly effective and successful teachers. Three research questions guided this study: How do highly effective teachers recognized as Teacher of the Year candidates define highly effective teaching? What are the instructional methods used by highly effective teachers? And what are the personality traits exhibited by highly effective teachers? Five highly successful teachers, chosen by their recognition as teachers who were candidates for the Indiana Teacher of the Year award, were selected for this study. Once the selection of the five candidates was completed based on geographical region, their placement in elementary school, gender, and school diversity, visits were completed at the sites of each study participants school. Classroom observations were completed with field notes taken and interviews conducted on site. The study generated multiple personality traits and instructional methods that were prominent among the five participants. Four common themes emerged from the field notes, observations, interviews, and confirmation from the five participants. The themes include: 1. Highly successful teachers are decidedly interactive with all of their students, are consciously aware of the levels of engagement of their students and are ensuring that all students feel they have an equal voice in the classroom. 2. Highly successful teachers are competitive leaders who are assiduous workers that view their profession as an extension of their personal self, willing to go beyond what is considered normal for educators to best reach and teach their students. 3. Highly successful teachers are compassionate individuals who understand the cultural diversity of the students and view their classrooms as a community that communicates and interacts in an organized and familial manner. 4. Highly successful teachers are confident in and understand their importance and value to the learning and developmental growth of each student, often drawing from familial or personal experiences in the profession. This study adds to the existing body of research by providing integral components of educating students in a classroom that is consistently evolving in very diverse school communities.
Recommended Citation
Kinsey, Brent, "An Exploration Of The Instructional Strategies And Personality Traits Utilized By Highly Effective And Successful Teachers" (2018). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1551.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1551