Freedom to Teach: What Does It Mean to You?
What does the freedom to teach mean to you? Share My Lesson asks five educators to provide insight into what it means to them and their students.
Teachers Around the Country Define Their Freedom to Teach
Last month, we asked our Share My Lesson members: What does the “freedom to teach” mean to you? And wow—did you answer! We have been overwhelmed with the ongoing responses to this question. You can read more and add your response here, by Sept. 30, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a Fitbit Versa 2 smartwatch.
On the one hand, we are inspired—inspired by comments like these:
“Freedom to teach is about trust, honor and respect. Trust teachers. Respect the value of relationships: between teachers and administrators; among collaborating colleagues; between parents, students, teachers and the entire school community. Honor the learning that happens inside and outside of books: in social emotional development, in experiential learning, in collaborative efforts and community service learning, and in student-driven endeavors. Freedom to teach means removal of the shackles of standardized test scores. While progress-monitoring and goal-setting are essential, making results a threat only creates a toxic relationship with academic performance. Freedom to teach is a reminder that we don't teach curricula, we teach students. We guide them in a discovery of learning; we remember that they are part of a rapidly developing new way of living, learning and working; and we support them and each other with flexible, engaging, highly rigorous coursework that capitalizes on strengths and reinforces areas of weakness.”—Melissa C., seventh-grade math teacher
“Freedom to teach means that I have the tools, respect, support and encouragement to do what I do. It means my school, the families of my students, the community and the Department of Education are working with me to ensure that my students get what they need, academically as well as socially, emotionally and physically in and out of the classroom.”—Cheryl S., sixth-grade English language arts teacher
On the other hand, we know of too many instances where the aspirational visions of freedom to teach are very far from the day-to-day realities of teachers’ work lives. Comments like these from AFT Michigan member, Mrs. Wreggsare the reason why the AFT continues to fight.
“Freedom to teach means that there is no pressure from a test determining my success as an educator. I can use techniques to teach my students, and choose the topics that are of most interest to them, without worry that I will be punished if they are poor test-takers. Freedom to teach means I am respected as an expert and a professional who will do what is right and do my job to the absolute best of my ability.” Kymberli W., high school social studies teacher
The Freedom to Teach and Supporting Collective Action
Or, as AFT President Randi Weingarten says, the freedom to teach “starts by focusing on three essential areas: developing a culture of collaboration in schools and districts, creating and maintaining proper teaching and learning conditions, and ensuring teachers have voice and agency befitting their profession. These are pragmatic actions that schools and districts could start work on tomorrow.”
What does the freedom to teach mean to you? Answer this question by Sept. 30, or respond to another comment, and you’ll be entered to win a Fitbit Versa 2. Read terms & conditions.
Check out Randi Weingarten's speech on the freedom to teach here.
Kelly Carmichael Booz is the Director of Share My Lesson at the American Federation of Teachers, where she oversees the AFT’s PreK–12 resource platform serving nearly 2.3 million educators. She leads the organization’s digital professional development initiatives, including co-creating the... See More
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Debora Rinehart
September 25, 2019, 11:03 pm
DReese0421
September 26, 2019, 8:19 am
Freedom to Teach means having the ability and right to empower students without fear. We need to present the material in the best way that our students learn. This means that all teachers are given ample training for strategies and online tools to address the different learning abilities in the classroom.
Having the freedom to teach means I can model what respect looks like and sounds like. I can represent how listening should occur. If I do not mirror what I expect to see, the environment will be in total chaos. I can present the standards in innovative ways that catch the students' attention and promote learning through modeling respect and active learning posture.
The Freedom to teach enables the students to come into a safe environment where no one is permitted to impede on the learning process for any learner. The classroom should be free from unnecessary interruptions and unwelcome outbursts. No one has the right to stop the learning process for any student. So, I have the freedom to ensure my space is a safe place.
The Freedom to Teach also gives every teacher exactly what they need in every classroom to reach every student so mastery can occur. All students are different. The needs are similar, yet unique. What works for one may n ot work for another. Look, listen and change, if needed. To be able to address the needs of the body, we must have policies, strategies, and partnerships enabled so NO child IS left behind and NO teacher is left stranded.
Finally, the Freedom to Teach means I am allowed to actually care about my students and provide whatever is necessary to make sure the learners have what they need to succeed in school and in life. The life skills are sometimes more important to learn than the academic skills and time must be made in the schedule for exploration of these vital life skills. Without them, learning the academia is useless. Why are we here if not to teach the whole person?
Freedom to Teach means that I can teach at the highest levels to all of my students. I can teach above grade level and scaffold the learning so that every child can succeed. Freedom to teach means that my colleagues support my working with students on my own time and that paying attention to what positively and negatively affects student achievement matters. The most important thing to my students is my belief and support that every child can learn above the state standards, grow more than one academic year for every year they are with me and that all students in my classes work as hard as I do in helping everyone in our classes succeed.