What makes a great teacher? It’s a simple question with seemingly endless answers, yet Todd Whitaker condenses them to a manageable few in his 2011 informational,What Great Teachers Do Differently: 17 Things That Matter Most. This short, 144-page book filled with psuedophilosphy for teacher self-help made its way into my reading cycle recently, and I have some thoughts.
At the tail end of my summer vacation, I embarked on an 8-hour drive to Gulf Shores, Alabama. This title, available on Audible’s free catalog, has a runtime of just 3 hours and 51 minutes, and with plenty of time to spare, I couldn’t resist. After all, it’s become a tradition for me to begin the school year with a few new educational reads under my belt. So here I am, a few weeks later, with the book finished and a quick review underway.
Let’s get to it.
Review of Todd Whitaker’s What Great Teachers Do Differently
What I liked
Does Todd Whitaker’s Great Teachers Do Differently: 17 Things That Matter Most deliver on its promise to divulge the most important aspects of great teachers? Yes. It’s not a dull or emphatic yes…just your standard, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The book is full of ideas, principles, and adages I wholeheartedly buy as the substance some of the best teachers are made of. Even when it seems Whitaker is simply stating the obvious, his observations lend credence to concepts that many educators know yet never say. For example, the first on his list of 17 Things That Matter Most is “Great teachers never forget that it is people, not programs that determine the quality of a school.” Most can agree on this simple idea, and some would argue it goes without saying. Still, his articulation of precepts like these validates what comes natural to some and is often seen in great teachers.
What could be improved
The simplicity of What Great Teachers Do Differently is both one of it’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. Whitaker explains the book is a mix of research and informal observations, but the line between each is sometimes unclear. Readers looking for detailed, research-based data may be disappointed, as the research he presents is mostly non-technical, non-scientific. Because I listened to the audiobook, I didn’t have access to any other sections of the book (appendixes, references, etc.) and can’t speak on whether or not they even exist in the print copy. None of this detracted from my enjoyment of the listen, but more references to studies and other outside sources could have made the it more compelling.
Final thoughts
I recommend Todd Whitaker’s What Great Teachers Do Differently: 17 Things That Matter Most to new teachers, administrators, and even veterans looking for new ideas. There are plenty of AHA moments to be had, making it well worth the listen, especially given the audiobook’s short runtime. If you read/listen looking to grow, you’re sure to rack up on nuggets of gold for solid character development as an educator. Click here to view What Great Teachers Do Differently: 17 Things That Matter Most on Amazon.
Have you read the book? What do YOU think great teachers do differently? Share your thoughts in the comments!
