Do Teacher Accreditation Standards Match the Qualities of a Good Schoolteacher?

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership professional standards for teachers define teacher quality and are used by authorities to accredit and support teachers. In this article we examine whether the professional standards adequately capture the qualities of good schoolteachers identified in a groundbreaking review of research. We classify and attempt to match the qualities of good teachers with the standards descriptors. Some qualities have clear affinity with and coherent connections to descriptors, while others have less coherent connections or no connections at all, and we discuss implications of our findings for teacher education, professional learning, and support.