Many educators today work in top-down teaching/learning
hierarchies. In those structures, educators have little voice and choice over
what they do. This tears at educator autonomy, mastery and purpose—three
attributes that Daniel Pink demonstrates to be critical to optimal performance
in his book, Drive.
Pink writes, “Control leads to compliance, while autonomy leads to
engagement.” and “Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous,
self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is
liberated, people achieve more. . .”
So, in light of Pink’s research and the fact that many
educators have little or limited voice and choice in schools since top-down
hierarchies persist, how can educators work to change these unfortunate and
oppressive work environments so they can do the inspired work needed to teach
all children well.
I looked to the National Board of Professional Teaching
Standards guide, What
Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do, for direction. I also thought
about the teaching environment where I work to gain a specific lens in this
regard. As I consulted these two resources, I clearly noticed that I need to
better utilize good research and evidence to advocate for greater teacher
leadership, choice and voice in schools, and that the NBPTS guide is one way to
do that.
Engagement
As I looked closely at the propositions and thought of
Pink’s words above, I recognized that many who direct our work from above don’t
understand the role that engagement plays in good teaching and learning. Pink
points out that autonomy leads to engagement, and when educators “manage and
monitor student learning” with autonomy and collaboration, engagement for both
students and educators soar. This is critical to good teaching and learning as
the NBPTS guide supports, “Accomplished educators therefore focus significant
attention on developing strategies to promote student interests and monitor
student engagement.” When top-down directives are thrust upon educators, often
teacher and student engagement is a missing component of those directives, and
educators must work to remind and inform those who direct their efforts that
it’s imperative that autonomy exist so that teachers can continually create, craft,
and develop optimal teaching/learning experiences that engage students.
Collaboration and
Communication
Another area that top-down directives often forget is the
tremendous potential that exists when the lines of communication and share are
open amongst and between educators. Too often directors who have little contact
with students or teachers may manage the message rather than supporting the
free-flow of communication of ideas, practice, analyses and next steps. The
NPBTS guide supports collaboration as illustrated in this statement,
“Accomplished educators thus enlist a wide range of support—from students,
teachers and paraprofessionals to family and community members—to provide their
students with instructional opportunities that will augment their learning.”
Evolution
Top-down systems often miss or deny the fact that education
is an evolving, not static, proposition. That’s why NBPTS Proposition 4:
Teachers Think Systematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience is
so important. It is critical that educators utilize time and good process to
systematically evaluate and develop the work they do utilizing informal/formal
assessments, research, collaboration, and creativity. Too often that work is
done for educators without utilizing their input or ideas. When this happens,
educators’ confidence and capacity is compromised, and the teaching/learning
does not reach the potential possible. At times, administrators and other
decision makers may rely more on efficiency than efficacy when it comes to
choosing for educators, and this often represents a troubling, downward spiral
of education events.
As I think of my own experience as an educator and the body
of research I attend to related to teaching and learning, I know that a focus
on engagement, collaboration/communication, and evolution is one way to begin
to advocate for greater teacher leadership, voice and choice with regard to
elevating our practice to serve all children well.
