The ability to rise above the stuff teachers have to put up with. The professional development aimed at a ridiculously low level so all the teachers can understand.
The administrators who don't mind shuffling them to teach a variety of classes.
The system that gives GT huge class sizes
You need someone who can weather all the politics of being in a school system and keep their eyes on the job. Even when the other teachers are being rewarded for making goals, and GT kids don't meet the system goals because they use the MAP and want so much growth.
We need a system to support GT teachers if we want GT teachers.
I agree that the administration can be a big stumbling block for teachers. I have had teachers who will straight out tell me what is in the way of my child getting a more appropriate education, and then I go to the school and ask for what they need. And then I have had teachers who don't communicate with me at all -- I am not sure why -- and those years were tough for my child.
