Increasing education opportunities for students and elevating teachers to be leaders will bring lifelong success to students in Mississippi.
We have a national crisis – teachers are leaving the field of public education in droves. They are tired of being micromanaged, overworked, and kept in a box of standardization, ultimately dehumanizing their professional expertise and students’ educational journeys. Many public school teachers experience a lack of classroom freedom and a top-down managerial and instructional approach that leaves them frustrated.
Teacher freedom recognizes that most teachers are professionals with the education and expertise needed to meet a child’s individual needs. It empowers teachers to operate the classroom through their own decisions, designed lessons, and experiences, allowing students to grow academically.
Our education system should seek to support students’ success rather than systems, curriculum, or tests. The ultimate barometer of student success is his or her preparedness for life after graduation. Teachers understand that relationships, learning spaces, and local environments contribute significantly to students’ individuality and lifelong success and are uniquely situated to guide students toward that success when not burdened with excessive bureaucracy and government micromanagement.
The path to teacher freedom begins with education leaders. School districts and building principals can foster a culture of freedom by simply supporting them and giving meaningful purpose to their work in the classroom. Yes, direction, management, and accountability are necessary, like any profession, but teachers typically understand their students, the subject area, and the environment in which they provide instruction. Education leaders should encourage creativity within curriculum and instruction, empower teachers to collaborate with their peers through professional learning communities, and utilize their expertise to make meaningful decisions in their classrooms and school. The result is more outstanding student achievement.
Truly “letting teachers teach” means trusting them in the classroom. To that end, greater teacher freedom heavily relies on trust and communication between parents and teachers. In today’s digital world, lessons, assignments, assessments, and grades should be available in one place through a well-kept learning management system and a multifaceted approach to engaging
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