Teachers who improve non-cognitive skills don't always pass the test

Teachers who improve non-cognitive skills don't always pass the test
 
A new working paper from Mathematica Policy Research looks at the role that teachers play in developing non-cognitive skills, the non-tested academic behaviors and mindsets that contribute to children's long-term success. These behaviors and mindsets include emotional stability, motivation, persistence, and self-control.
Data came from 310 teachers in four U.S. districts who had agreed to have their classes videotaped, complete a teacher questionnaire, and help collect a set of student outcomes. The study focused on Grade 4 and 5 math classes, although all of the teachers involved were generalists.

The authors examined both "teacher effects" (the teacher themselves) and "teaching effects" (classroom practices) on a range of math test scores and non-tested outcomes, specifically behavior in class, happiness in class, and self-efficacy in math.

They found that individual teachers have large effects on students' self-reported behavior in class, self-efficacy in math, and happiness in class that are similar in magnitude to effects on test scores. However, teachers who are effective at improving these outcomes often are not the same as those who raise math test scores.

The paper concludes that efforts to improve the quality of the teacher workforce should include teachers' abilities to promote academic behaviors and mindsets. 

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