tandfonline.com – Teacher Quality or Quality Teaching? Eighth Grade Social Studies Teachers’ Professional Characteristics and Classroom Instruction as Predictors of U.S. History Achievement

ABSTRACT

Using data from the 2010 National Association of Education Progress eighth grade test of U.S. history (NAEP-US8), the current study explored the intersections among traditional indicators of teacher quality and competing dimensions of quality teaching on students’ history knowledge. Findings indicated that eighth grade social studies teachers with academic backgrounds in history and secondary education were associated with increased use of disciplinary practices valued by the field (i.e., reading across multiple source materials, discussion, and writing in the content area) and performance-based assessment. Furthermore, when accounting for both teacher characteristics and instructional decision-making, alternatively licensed middle grades teachers were associated with lower average student achievement on NAEP-US8. Holding other conditions constant, eighth grade teachers with backgrounds in secondary education were associated with higher average student performance. Results further suggest that middle grades teachers who focus instruction on disciplinary practices are associated with increased student learning outcomes as measured by NAEP-US8. Findings from this study have potential implications for middle grades social studies teacher education as well as curricular and certification policies.