The first day back for teachers has been for the last several years a stressful experience. I don’t like change that much. I especially don’t like being told to change how I’m doing my job when I don’t really feel my methods need such drastic improvement. I especially don’t like being told to change how I’m doing my job when I am certain that not only will the new way be more labor-intensive but also the new methods will be less effective. Public education is always looking for the magic potion, the new method for this, that, or the other (or, more likely, this, that, and the other). We change essential questions to learning targets (which really is little more than changing an interrogative to a declarative) and think this is somehow going to make everything better.

Texting with teachers who are still at my old school, I mentioned that to day was the first time in years that I didn’t walk into the building with a bit of trepidation about whatever changes the district might be imposing on us. We heard from several sources, “You’re professionals. We hired you because we were convinced you could do the job and do it well. Just do your job.” Another novel notion: “I trust you’ll be planning your lessons because you’re professionals. The format and level of detail of your plans is up to you.”

It’s strange being treated like a professional…