Teacher Autonomy Alec Curtis

Are the School Districts Free? . How much freedom are we retaining? America Is founded on Freedom. With that as our backdrop Are the School Districts Free?

How do Teachers Gain Autonomy? How can teachers be effective in their classrooms if they are unable to make the decisions that should take place? Since the no child left behind act teachers have been forced to teach to the test rather than to the needs of their students. Just as doctors take an oath to help their patients likewise teachers need to do so to improve the students mind. Test results are one of the main ways teacher autonomy is decided. Depending on how the student performs in their state tests reflects specifically on the teachers job. Ultimately it affects the teachers much more than the students as it could potentially cost them their job. Autonomy: Independence, freedom to act for oneself

Autonomy Accountability Or So how do we reconcile Autonomy or Accountability? What do teachers need? Samuel A. Culbert, a professor in the Anderson School of Management at the University of California said. “The way to make stars out of teachers,” he states, “is to let teachers be stars.” In order for a teacher to be a “star teacher,” they need to be allowed to be creative and innovative with their teaching Teachers are required to be flexible with their teaching strategies, and taking away their autonomy is taking away their ability to be flexible to the needs of the student. Accountability is the excuse used. While it is necessary too much of it can be a hindrance rather than a help. Accountability

Do we trust teachers in their job? Johnmarshall Reeves, a Professor in the Department of Education at Korea University that “autonomy-supportive environments involve and nurture (rather than neglect and frustrate) students’ psychological needs, personal interests, and integrated values” Everyone agrees student autonomy is necessary, that is achieved through teacher autonomy We have to trust the teachers and that is when we will see the effect on the students. Teachers will excel most in their job when we give them the respect they deserve. Once they have that their quality of teaching will improve and so will our students learning. Do we trust teachers in their job?

The Affects of Teacher Autonomy on Students Autonomy Supported Classrooms Experience: higher mastery motivation, enhanced creativity, increased conceptual understanding, higher intrinsic motivation, better academic performance Students in classrooms taught by autonomy-supportive teachers, compared to students in classrooms taught by controlling teachers, -experience an impressive and meaningful range of positive educational outcomes, - including greater perceived competence higher mastery motivation, enhanced creativity, a preference for optimal challenge over easy success, increased conceptual understanding, active and deeper information processing, greater engagement, positive emotionality, higher intrinsic motivation, enhanced well-being, better academic performance, and academic persistence rather than dropping out of school. Students do better with teachers in an autonomous classroom, there is simply no getting around it.

The answer is not simply more money!! Students need teachers that feel like they are valued, when a teacher feels valued they want to do the best they can at their job and they put everything they have into their work, which can only benefit the students learning process even more. When teachers feel the respect they need the students will experience the change.

How do the government programs play into teacher autonomy? Does it increase or decrease teacher autonomy? Diana Pullin a professor at the University of Iowa and an expert in areas of teacher performance assessment pointed out that these “… new initiatives create a tension between government, seeking to perform its public responsibility through efforts to reform education, and higher education, seeking to improve education while insuring its integrity as a forum for the free pursuit and exchange of knowledge.” The purpose of this is to bring all students to the same level in there education when they are in the same grade. That way children in Seattle and Chicago can be at the same level in 6th grade despite being in different cities. This will unify the entire education system. They accomplish this by setting standards or benchmarks. The standards are a roadmap for students that even compare with international standards.

The Purpose is Accountability In the governments main web page for Common Core it expresses multiple times that it will not take away any freedom from the teachers. The website specifically states “Teachers will devise their own lesson plans and curriculum, and tailor their instruction to the individual needs of the students in their classrooms” The states will get to choose how to implement these standards on their own without government interference. The government’s goal is to hopefully set up this balance between autonomy and accountability. It doesn’t deny the importance of either but strives to find the balance to each. The worry is that the state testing will cause teachers to simply teach to the test. However, teachers have had a say in the matter as it has been stated that educators were involved in the creation of the common core standards. Is there a balance between Accountability and Autonomy?

Review Past government programs. Teachers teach to the test. Teachers excel with their own freedom. Teacher autonomy leads to student autonomy. Teachers need respect to be successful. Common Core balances autonomy and accountability.

Questions?

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