Stephen Downes

There's plenty of evidence that the main premise of this article - "no factor is more important to education standards than the quality of the teacher" - is false. Factors outside the classroom, usually related to socio-economic status, are far more important. But what caught my eye in this post were the characteristics of teachers rated to be most important. At the top of the list: patience, caring and dedication. At the bottom: making ideas and content clear. That, I think, is the opposite of what most people would expect.