Trust Teachers—They've Got This

I observed at a school on Chicago’s west side, not far from where I once taught high school math—and I was floored. Students were engaged. Teachers were guides on the side. The welcoming culture was focused on learning, not compliance.

I asked the principal how they built it.

"Honestly, I spend most of my time figuring out how to get out of my teachers' way and giving them what they need."

Teachers know best. They know their students—their strengths, struggles, and potential. They pour themselves into this work. And research agrees: the single greatest factor in student achievement is teacher quality (Hattie, 2008).

Yet too often, school systems block teacher autonomy—with rigid mandates, over-scripted curricula, and tech that dictates instead of supports. These systems reduce teachers from creative professionals to passive implementers.

But teaching is both a creative and caring profession—part movie producer, part nurse or doctor. It requires judgment, adaptation, and deep human connection. That’s why autonomy isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation.

We talk about building student agency in the 21st century. So let’s start by giving teachers the agency they deserve.

To empower students, empower teachers.

Try this today:

• Administrators: Find one barrier your teachers face—an unnecessary rule, a rigid tech tool, a policy past its prime—and remove it. Trust your teachers. Watch what happens.
• Teachers: If you had more autonomy tomorrow, what would you try? Write it down. Hold it close. When you’re ready, take one small step toward making it real.

What’s one thing you've done—or seen—that creates more teacher autonomy? Share in the comments or @classkick.

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