Sunday, May 29, 2011

Do Highly Qualified Teachers Need Charisma too?


Since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, pressures have mounted for educators.  Ensuring that all children can read by the end of third grade as well as be proficient in reading and math by 2014 is a great feat for some educators, especially those who work with students who may have specific learning disorders or meet at-risk criteria.  The combination of all these factors, plus increased assessments and documentation have resulted in increased stress for teachers, as well as a decrease in empathy.  Dr. Robert Brooks believes that the relationship a student has with his/her teacher greatly influences performance in the classroom.  Not only are students more likely to work harder and go out of their way to learn complicated tasks when they have an instructor who genuinely cares and models that compassion, but the students are less likely to demonstrate disruptive behavior (Brooks, 2011).  So much emphasis is put on hiring teachers who are highly qualified to teach the subject matter that the key component to engaging students and ensuring that they will learn is overshadowed.  Both Julius Segal and the Massachusetts Department of Education found that at-risk youth were able to beat the odds against them when there is a presence of a charismatic adult whom they know they can turn to and will advocate for them reiterates this philosophy.  In most situations, this individual is the teacher.  For this reason, as administrators seek to hire the most highly qualified teachers, they should also be seeking the most highly charismatic teachers.  Together, both qualities will lead to improved student success.


Brooks, R. (2011). Education and "charismatic" adults: to touch a student’s heart and mind. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/education-charismatic-touch-heart-mind/  

8 comments:

  1. This is a very interesting blog from someone who hires teachers yearly. I have been burnt on this one twice and am still paying for one of those to this day. Eleven years ago I had two individuals who were French Instructor candidates. One knew her content like no other. I mean you knew that she had studied abroad and knew her stuff. The other one was not quite so talented with the content but had that charisma that the other one did not have. I knew the second one could relate to kids but the first one I wondered about. A person who I came to disrespect immensely talked me into hiring the first one. Biggest mistake of my life. I will take the communicator, the one with charisma any day over someone who maybe a little more "highly qualified." What good does it do to know the stuff but not be able to relay it to the students?

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  2. I couldn't agree with you more! I will be first in line to admit that I have not given my "all" to instructors whom I felt did not care about me as a person. I see those same characteristics demonstrated by my children. Everything comes into perspective when your 16-year-old daughter, a sophomore in high school, who should be looking towards the future and understanding how her decisions now will affect the outcome later, who has been an A/B student throughout her elementary and secondary education and has always cared about her work begins to let things slide and not give it her all because as she states, "why should I care, my teachers don't look at it anyways," or "he never tells us what we did wrong, just gives us the grade." I am certain that I am not the only parent that has heard this from a high school student, but it becomes unfortunate when you begin hearing this from elementary students. I am very blessed to work in a district who prides themselves on the outstanding staff. Can I say that each and every one is highly charismatic? No, but I can say that there are numerous teachers throughout our district who will bend over backwards for our students to ensure that they are receiving the quality education they deserve, whether it be coming in early or staying after school, or giving up their lunch time or prep period to work with the kids who need the little extra help to ensure that they aren't being left behind.

    Although I have never been in the position of hiring contracted personnel, I have been on many hiring committees. The top traits I have always looked for is compassion, empathy and then qualifications.

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  3. I agree its very hard to find highly qualified teachers that have the charisma to catch the eye of the students. We as adults really don't have to worry too much about what children do or say, but as parents we greatly do! It's a double edge sword. If I'm sitting a public place and I hear a child say a swear word I let it pass, and don't give it a second thought. However, if my children ate near me and I hear someone with a potty mouth I let them know that I don't appreciate that. I know that's a little off the subject, but I thought it might help. I believe that teachers have a great responsibility to shape the minds of our children. There has been a big increase of home schooled children in the past few years. My wife and I are even considering it. I hate to say it, but the quality of schools out here has declined a lot. Even when I was in school it was really bad. Teachers would push a certain student through the class because they didn't want to see the student next year. It was really hard to sit there and see, because I actually tried in school.

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  4. Joe, all too often I hear the threat of retention for those students who choose to just try to slide by. Unfortunately it means nothing if there is no follow through. But the next question that needs to be addressed is at what age does retention stop being effective?

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  5. Joe,

    I agree with most of what you say, but I am not sure that we can look at the education and what is wrong with it as a problem of the institution. I am not sure but I cannot believe that the Carroll Community School District for example allows kids to swear in their school without punishment. But yet when kids go home parents allow it. To me a lot of what is going wrong deals with the integrity of our society and not the integrity of the school institution. I might be wrong.....

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  6. Kerri,

    Research does not have a lot of good things to say about retention. There are many many more reason not to retain then to retain. Maybe you next blog might be on retaining students. One area that a lot of people underestimate is that of the socialization of a student who is held back or moved ahead!!!

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  7. One step ahead of you. Trying to cut my retention blog down in length. I have some pretty strong feelings on that topic as well.

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  8. I must agree with Dr. Thomas. Inappropriate language in any form is not tolerated and usually comes with some consequence. Typically, having the student eat their lunch and spend their brief recess in the office is enough to get their attention and stop the behavior. At the middle school level, removing a student from their peers during lunch and recess hits closer to home than making them serve a detention before or after school.

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