Constructing “Experts” Among Peers: Educational Infrastructure, Test Data, and Teachers’ Interactions About Teaching

Abstract

Teachers’ on-the-job interactions with colleagues impact their effectiveness, yet little research has explored whether and how teacher performance predicts these interactions. Drawing on 5 years of social network data from one school district, we explore the relationship between teacher performance and teachers’ instructional advice and information interactions. Results demonstrate that higher performing teachers are not more likely to be sought out for advice; instead, higher performing teachers are more likely to seek advice. Although school staff report they can identify the “best” teachers, they generally do not rely on student test scores, instead relying on more readily accessible indicators of performance. These findings have important implications for policy and practices that seek to promote desired interactions among teachers.