1. Are teachers born, or made?
While the debate has raged for decades, most people agree that effective teaching can result from natural artistry as well as focused training.

2. How is class time organized and what is academic learning time?
Teachers vary dramatically in the efficient use of time. Wise distribution of classroom time—defined as allocated, engaged, and academic learning time—is a predictor of student achievement.

3. What classroom management skills foster academic achievement?
Student achievement is also associated with effective classroom management. A well-managed classroom includes reasonable rules for students to follow, and teachers who can keep students on task through group alerting, smooth transitions, and similar skills.

4. What are the roles of teachers and students in the pedagogical cycle?
The pedagogical cycle consists of four stages: (1) structure, (2) question, (3) respond, and (4) react. The student's role is typically limited to responding, while teachers usually direct classroom discourse through structure, question, and reaction.

5. How can teachers set a stage for learning?
Most cycles of instruction begin by connecting prior learning to current objectives. Effective teachers motivate students, offer meaningful examples, give accurate directions, display enthusiasm, and present a brief closure to the lesson.

6. What questioning strategies increase student achievement?
Questioning is at the very foundation of effective teaching. Although teachers rely most heavily on lower-order questions, higher-order questions are associated with critical thinking and should be an important part of classroom instruction. Effective teachers use intentional strategies, such as proper wait time, to allocate questions fairly among all students. When providing feedback, teachers typically use neutral acceptance, while praise, remediation, and criticism are more precise and helpful reactions.

7. How can teachers best tap into different student learning styles?
Effective teachers provide variety. From discussions and debates to simulations and spot quizzes, teachers increase academic success by responding to the different learning styles in the class.

8. What are several salient models of instruction?
Four models of instruction include (1) direct teaching, (2) cooperative learning, (3) mastery learning, and (4) problem-based learning. Direct teaching includes teacher presentation, guided practice, teacher feedback, independent practice, and regular reviews. In a cooperative learning classroom, students work in small groups and appraisals often reflect the entire group's performance. In mastery learning, students work at their own pace to reach specific objectives. Problem-based learning stimulates students to explore authentic issues.

9. How can teachers use technology to support effective instruction?
Hardware, software, and Web sites can tie into effective teaching strategies such as problem-based, cooperative, and mastery learning, as well as direct teaching and teacher-student interactions. Technology raises some serious concerns for teachers, including monitoring the accuracy and biases of Internet material.

10. What are the future directions of effective teaching research?
Differentiated instruction is responsive to individual student differences, unlike the current emphasis on standardized instruction and testing. Deep teaching promotes meaningful instruction around essential content, while covering fewer topics. Looping and block scheduling foster classroom communities. The best of today's educators engage in reflective practice, continually analyzing the effectiveness of their instruction.

11. What are the stages of teacher development?
Teachers provided with sufficient support can move through a series of stages: survival, consolidation, renewal, and maturity, growing from personal concerns (such as classroom management) to broader educational issues (school strategies that could enhance student learning). Studies underscore that investments in teacher qualifications and training translate into improved student achievement.