The instinct here is right, and the direction of travel matters, but I would gently push back on framing this purely as freedom versus restriction, because the most effective teachers I have worked with over four decades have not thrived simply because constraints were removed - they have thrived because they operated within a clear sense of shared purpose and values that gave their professional judgement genuine meaning. Connected autonomy, tight around direction and loose around practice, is a more honest description of what actually works than freedom alone, and without that shared framework, freedom can become inconsistency that ultimately disadvantages the children who most need coherent, well-designed provision.
Oh I agree and good reminder. Freedom denotes responsibility and a sharing of a vision. What you describe is research based, the best teachers are ones in schools with a strong sense of shared purpose, cooperation, beliefs and culture. This does matter a lot and yes, freedom doesn't mean a free for all, at all. Teaching isn't a lone profession and we shouldn't frame it as such, an individual endeavor.
The freedom to teach — this is something we hear from educators constantly. The micromanagement, the scripted curriculum, the pacing guides that leave no room for the moments that actually change students. Teachers who feel trusted and autonomous stay longer, grow faster, and serve students better. The data is clear. The challenge is getting decision-makers to act on it. Grateful for this conversation.
As long as teachers are paid by public funds and cling to unions that insist teachers should be paid as if they are assembly line workers, your list is nothing more than a pipe dream. How do you expect complete freedom of action while refusing any responsibility for results?
Maybe you can find like-minded teachers who are willing to start an independent school based on these ideas. Otherwise, this sounds like nothing more than a teenager complaining that his parents (the people who pay the bills) won’t let him do whatever he wants.
Teaching is not an input - output type of job. It's a professional one. Accountability, yes. Results? Whose results? Results shouldn't be standardized, short-term blips of numbers (so often the case). Results should be how a teacher does their job day in and day out, professionalism (again) in a word. You say parents pay the bills - that's a red herring. Do parents for example pay the police force(s)? Do they have a right to demand police do X or not do Y? No. Police are trained to do a job within the statutes and laws of their profession. People trust the police and legal system for they are well-trained, held to account within their professional association. Same with lawyers, accountants, bankers and so on. Same with teachers. Of course, parents as important stakeholders should be part of the process but teachers shouldn't just do their bidding, as they are told. Your comment about unions and pay - I really have no need to address.
It’s funny you should bring up police and lawyers, both of whom operate within a framework of laws as passed by the representatives of the people. They certainly aren’t free to simply form professional associations, then do whatever they feel is right.
I’m not sure where you get the idea that other professions make their own rules and just do whatever they want. As I said, that is a teenage perception that adults get to do whatever they want. It’s not true in any profession, and certainly shouldn’t apply to anyone who relies on public funds to be paid.
Of course, you don’t care what I think- I’m just a parent and a taxpayer. I see you got plenty of likes on this post, presumably from fellow teachers. Good luck with your pipe dream.
The instinct here is right, and the direction of travel matters, but I would gently push back on framing this purely as freedom versus restriction, because the most effective teachers I have worked with over four decades have not thrived simply because constraints were removed - they have thrived because they operated within a clear sense of shared purpose and values that gave their professional judgement genuine meaning. Connected autonomy, tight around direction and loose around practice, is a more honest description of what actually works than freedom alone, and without that shared framework, freedom can become inconsistency that ultimately disadvantages the children who most need coherent, well-designed provision.
Oh I agree and good reminder. Freedom denotes responsibility and a sharing of a vision. What you describe is research based, the best teachers are ones in schools with a strong sense of shared purpose, cooperation, beliefs and culture. This does matter a lot and yes, freedom doesn't mean a free for all, at all. Teaching isn't a lone profession and we shouldn't frame it as such, an individual endeavor.
The freedom to teach — this is something we hear from educators constantly. The micromanagement, the scripted curriculum, the pacing guides that leave no room for the moments that actually change students. Teachers who feel trusted and autonomous stay longer, grow faster, and serve students better. The data is clear. The challenge is getting decision-makers to act on it. Grateful for this conversation.
As long as teachers are paid by public funds and cling to unions that insist teachers should be paid as if they are assembly line workers, your list is nothing more than a pipe dream. How do you expect complete freedom of action while refusing any responsibility for results?
Maybe you can find like-minded teachers who are willing to start an independent school based on these ideas. Otherwise, this sounds like nothing more than a teenager complaining that his parents (the people who pay the bills) won’t let him do whatever he wants.
Teaching is not an input - output type of job. It's a professional one. Accountability, yes. Results? Whose results? Results shouldn't be standardized, short-term blips of numbers (so often the case). Results should be how a teacher does their job day in and day out, professionalism (again) in a word. You say parents pay the bills - that's a red herring. Do parents for example pay the police force(s)? Do they have a right to demand police do X or not do Y? No. Police are trained to do a job within the statutes and laws of their profession. People trust the police and legal system for they are well-trained, held to account within their professional association. Same with lawyers, accountants, bankers and so on. Same with teachers. Of course, parents as important stakeholders should be part of the process but teachers shouldn't just do their bidding, as they are told. Your comment about unions and pay - I really have no need to address.
It’s funny you should bring up police and lawyers, both of whom operate within a framework of laws as passed by the representatives of the people. They certainly aren’t free to simply form professional associations, then do whatever they feel is right.
I’m not sure where you get the idea that other professions make their own rules and just do whatever they want. As I said, that is a teenage perception that adults get to do whatever they want. It’s not true in any profession, and certainly shouldn’t apply to anyone who relies on public funds to be paid.
Of course, you don’t care what I think- I’m just a parent and a taxpayer. I see you got plenty of likes on this post, presumably from fellow teachers. Good luck with your pipe dream.