From Guest Blogger Lea Nance

As a teacher, I come to each new school year with passion, excitement and a list of goals that I have for myself and my classroom. My first and most important goal is to find out who my students are and what they already know. What ways do they learn best and what motivates them? What social skills do they have and how do they function within the classroom environment? How can I help them be their very best in my class and succeed in the future? These are all things best determined by engaging them in conversation and planning lessons that show you their current skills while allowing you to observe them. You see, each child is different and each classroom is different. Autonomous teachers know why they do what they do with the children in their classroom. They know why what works for one student doesn't work for another and with that, they have the ability to find what does work for each and every student. They know that a script cannot take into account the backgrounds, social and emotional needs of the children they teach. They can justify their plans using what they've been taught as teachers and the data they've gathered from their students. Autonomous teachers take responsibility for what the students are learning. Autonomous teachers are passionate about teaching because they are learners themselves in the process. Autonomous teachers are always able to challenge themselves and grow because they are constantly researching and adapting the ways in which to improve their teaching to better meet the needs of their students. Giving the teacher the autonomy and the power to do what they are qualified to do is what ensures they bring the passion every year. As a teacher I have watched the autonomy of classrooms be taken away more and more and not only do I feel the frustrations when planning my lessons, I see the frustration and the burdens in the children I teach. Mandating scripted curriculum, which is a practice not grounded in research, ensures that teachers have no voice and students have little to no interest. Teachers are rewarded one year for their success and growth in using a program in the way that best benefits their class, and the next year they are told they can no longer do it that way. Mandating assessments that do not truly reflect the work and the knowledge of the children is holding back both teachers and students by limiting valuable teaching time. As a teacher I spend countless hours coming up with ways to meet all the needs of my students and I watch year after year as more of the time I need to do that is taken away from me and replaced with curriculum and assessments that do not meet their needs. Teachers have long understood what is developmentally appropriate for the children they teach. Highly qualified teachers know exactly what, how and when to teach the concepts that their students need and in the best ways for their students. It is not enough to have a highly qualified teacher in each classroom if you are not allowing them to do what they are qualified to do. When you take away my autonomy you take away my power, but most importantly you risk diminishing my passion.