No one denies that teachers are the most important in-school factor in student learning. But in their quest to recruit and retain the best and brightest candidates, reformers need to be realistic. Unfortunately, David Greene fails to understand that great teachers are virtuosos ("The Art of Teaching," The New York Times, May 5).

As in all other fields, virtuosos possess gifts that can be identified but not duplicated. If that were not the case, schools of music would produce Mozarts, and schools of drama would graduate Brandos. But they don't. Nevertheless, these schools are curiously spared the criticism leveled at schools of education. The double standard is particularly troubling today because of the high stakes involved. It's also one of the reasons that teachers are demoralized.

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