Misconception #11: Teachers are experts in educating their students

Over the years, I have been writing about misconceptions regarding the schooling process. The purpose of these posts is to explain why I disagree with various comments that I have heard people make about schooling. These are meant as personal thoughts rather than conclusive proof, and I will admit that I'm not always the best at explaining my thoughts. Regardless, I have decided that I should be willing to share these posts when I encounter someone online who makes an argument that I have already discussed.

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Teachers love waving around college degrees to prove that they are experts in education. “Teacher said I am an expert so bow down to me.” Okay, maybe they don’t say that. If you read between the lines, it’s not far off. There are so many things that are wrong with this argument. Where do I even start?

Teachers teach teachers how to teach. If teachers who teach teachers how to teach don’t know how to teach, teachers teach teachers how not to teach. In reality, teachers teach teachers to think that they can teach rather than how to actually teach. Teachers are being taught to rely on teachers rather than teach themselves what they know about teaching. Teaching themselves to teach would require them to realize that teaching is not actually a part of teaching. For these reasons and more, teachers must take teaching for granted in order to enter the teaching profession.

Enough with my attempts to use the same word over and over again. What I’m trying to say is that the nature of the teaching profession requires teachers to accept what others tell them about education rather that forming their own educational beliefs. There are reasons that I have repeatedly insisted that nobody takes education for granted more than the teaching profession. After all, it’s a job requirement.

In addition to taking education for granted, teachers feel that their degrees make them experts in educating each and every child. The moment they first meet a student, they already think that they know what’s in that student’s best interest.

Teachers feel that since they study “education” that they are experts in education. Anyone who doesn’t take the proper classes is viewed as having a lower level of understanding. The reality is that education classes are about learning how our current schooling system works, and what is expected from those who enter the teaching profession. True education is not a focus. Neither are the billions of unique educational needs that they will encounter. They are not experts on how to teach me. They are not experts on how to teach you. The only thing that makes them look good is a silly piece of paper.

Learning styles are highly variable. Most teachers know their students for less than a year. By comparison, students should know themselves for their entire lifetimes. If anyone should be viewed as an expert on how a student learns, it is going to be that student. Unfortunately, society demands that the real experts hand off their educational responsibilities to people who really don’t know them or their individual needs. Instead of becoming educated, we are expected to become schooled.