How Important is Teacher Autonomy in the Classroom?

The unsung key to teacher success is in finite availability, which some educators say no longer exists. Autonomy in the classroom is getting harder to hold onto as district success metrics take precedence over student success.

In 2023, about 10% of Virginia’s Prince Edward County school district resigned, with their exit interviews showing a surprising reason. 25% of respondents claimed that their reason for leaving was due to “a lack of autonomy in instructional decisions and/or classroom management.”

This month's episode discusses the need for teacher autonomy with Professor Connolly, a 35-year veteran educator and professor at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University in Saudi Arabia and Senior Fellow at their Center for Futuristic Studies.