iRobot....NOT!!!!

The legislation of particular pedagogical practices seems to be on the rise.
"Put this on your wall."
"Do this strategy daily."
"Post this!"
"Say this!"
"Read this with your voice in a low pitch and one hand on your head with your big toe slightly elevated!"

When is it going to end? I know this may come as a surprise, but we're teachers! WE, unlike many, actually went to school for this! Four or five years of undergraduate courses and two more years of graduate school, endless "professional development", in addition to participation in informal teaching groups, the reading of professional journals, watching teaching videos and other activities baptized in educational theory and research! This doesn't count the informal lunch time conversations we have with colleagues, the texts about strategies and what has worked or not worked, the discussion of plans over coffee in the morning, and the Friday night dinners at restaurants that we vow will NOT turn into discussion over work, but almost always do!

We're not robots! We're teachers! Leave us to teach!

Let me be clear, I'm speaking of this "teacher-must-be-dumb" world in general, not about specific schools! Let that be made known, because apparently the first amendment applies to everyone but teachers! Not only is our opinion not valued in the classroom, but we also can't seem to put anything on facebook, twitter, or in a blog without being called into question either!