What makes an effective teacher? Quasi-experimental evidence

Abstract

I estimate in this article the effect of teaching practices on student achievements. I find that teaching based on the instilment of knowledge and comprehension ('traditional' teaching), and techniques that endow pupils with analytical and critical skills ('modern' teaching) has strong positive effect on test scores. However, a second element of modern teaching, instilment of the capacity for individual study has no effect while transparency, fairness, and feedback in teachers' conduct with their students improve marginally academic performance. Heterogeneity in these effects suggests that it is best to target the two teaching practices differentially to students of different genders and abilities.