It is interesting because my first thought about this question was that teachers have no freedom in the classroom; however, my view is shifting as I think about this from different persectives. I also agree that teachers have limited power, but I again think that they can have as much power as the want in the classroom. Yes they are given standards, goals, and expectations for standardized testing, but they also have the freedom to present the material in any form or fashion that they wish. It is with this power that they can reach students. Teachers can bend the style of teaching to meet needs of the students.

That is EXACTLY how I feel about this Casey! Teachers are given what to teach and it is up to us to figure out how to teach it. It is our job to take the information, be creative with it and display it to the students in a way they can enjoy it. We have more power than we think. As individuals we have the authority to run the classroom as we choose, and to teach the material in a way we think the children will learn the most from. We may not be able to choose what we teach, but we can do what we will be hired for and that is to creatively show the information to the students.

On this topic i will admit to having many different mixed feelings regarding power in the classroom. In some ways the teacher has as much power as they allow themselves to have. It takes many different things in play to have as much control and freedom as some have. Things like being able to do things slightly different than "the way it is always done" take work to achieve. You cannot walk into your first job as a teacher and say "I don't think that is the most effective way of doing things so I will do it my way like it or not" and expect to have that job the next day. It is a constant struggle to gain and maintain that freedom to decide the best way to educate the children in your classes. Struggles with administration, parents, the community at large, the school board and even your students just to name a few. The only real way to reach the goal of freedom and power to teach the way you know works is to prove to those people you struggle with that you are the professional and your goal to educate their child or your class is your main priority. Sad to say that one of the few ways proof is accepted is through testing or other quantifiable means. There are even ways around those as well. As soon as you allow others to hold you back you lose any chance at gaining the freedom and the power. Do all teachers have power in their class room? No. Do all teachers set themselves up to have power in their classroom? No. Is it available for all teachers to have power in their classroom? I would have to say it is in the reach of all that want it bad enough to do the extra work to get it. When someone says think outside the box it doesn't just mean think of different things or ways to teach in the classroom, take it as thinking of different ways to teach period. How can you convince your administrator to let you try this new method? What can be done to introduce a more learning environment in your children's homes? These are some of the big questions when thinking. At least that is how I see it.

I feel that teachers do not have as much power in the classroom as they deserve. Teachers are limited to the material they can teach and to a point are limited to the amounts/types of assessments they must give. I know that there are probably a lot more limitations also when it comes to teaching. Teachers are the one's who know the students best and I believe that principals, superintendents, the state, and whoever else should trust the teachers a little more and allow them more freedom in the classroom. I think that probably a lot of teachers do certain lessons or assessments behind the classroom door when they are not being observed because they know what they are doing will benefit their students. I believe that really good teachers are willing to fight for more freedom in their classroom so that they can give their students the best education they can offer.