Originally published in the Moultrie News.
Here’s an article about teachers on TikTok sharing the things they do that their fellow teachers hate. I’m curious how common these things are and how well they work.
There’s nothing wrong with being out of step with your coworkers, especially when you’re searching for better ways to teach. In these videos, however, teachers often sound less like innovators and more like influencers trying to boost their popularity by pandering to students and villainizing their colleagues. In doing so, they’ve confused student comfort with student benefit.
That may win kids’ approval but fail to earn their respect—and one without the other is like a private jet with no pilot.
The things they do that their fellow teachers hate aren’t widespread, but you can usually spot them somewhere in every school, particularly in higher grades where the desire to be the “cool teacher” is stronger.
Interestingly, none of them are new. They’ve been debated among teachers for decades. In fact, what colleagues “hate” (I’d use the word “ridicule” or “scorn”) most about them is seeing timeworn indulgences repackaged as edgy breakthroughs.
Here’s a look at a few of the trends:
Choosing not to enforce the dress code — Most codes are designed to foster a more professional environment where learning is the focus. Undermining that undermines learning. Also, sporadic enforcement creates a general disrespect for school rules and the teachers who do enforce them. “Mrs. Jones doesn’t care what I wear, so why do you?” teachers often hear. Consistent enforcement communicates a teacher’s respect for their students, school, and colleagues, and that makes it easier to expect respect in return.
Going by your first name — Using a title and last name like “Mr. Smith” or “Mrs. Jones” creates a more immediate distinction between teacher and friend.
Throwing away tests if the majority of the class does poorly — This makes sense if there’s a problem with the test but not if students didn’t study or engage with the lessons. Discarding bad results that stream directly from bad habits teaches kids that bad habits yield no bad results. Not optimal.
Letting students sleep in class if they’re tired — It’s hard to think of a practice more counterproductive to a teacher’s goal. When children are unconscious, they aren’t learning. Can kids still learn when sleepy? Yes. Can they learn when asleep? No. Also, the real world doesn’t work like this. Let a teacher sleep during class and see what happens.
Allowing students to read what makes them happy — Kids don’t need a teacher’s permission to read what makes them happy. In fact, a major aim of reading instruction is empowering kids to read anything they want. In this case, the TikTok teacher seems to mean letting kids pick their own books instead of making them read prescribed titles. That’s fine sometimes, but doing so exclusively keeps children from branching out of their settled interests. Also, kids on their own tend to choose less challenging works that fail to nurture their growth. Think about a conditioning coach telling students, “Only lift what makes you happy.”
Letting kids eat snacks in class — Engaging in a lesson isn’t like eating breakfast over Bluey. And since lunch time is never far away, let kids learn that sometimes they have to wait; they won’t starve. Research supports the benefits of delayed gratification while cautioning against immediate indulgence.
Letting kids wear hats and hoodies — Few, if any, educational benefits come from hats, but there are many advantages of a uniform culture of professionalism. Hoodies, by the way, often mean the student is listening to AirPods.
Not giving homework in elementary school — A reasonable amount of homework helps children develop literacy and learning. Why sheath such a valuable tool?
There are undoubtedly exceptional teachers who can make some of these things work. Having colleagues deride your practices doesn’t necessarily mean you’re wrong. But it’s worth asking why those practices have earned so much scorn. A teacher’s job isn’t to win a popularity contest. It’s to help children become knowledgeable, responsible adults. And sometimes the most beneficial thing a teacher can say is the thing a child least wants to hear.
Jody Stallings has been an award-winning teacher in Charleston since 1992 and is director of the Charleston Teacher Alliance. To submit a question, order his books, or follow him on social media, please visit JodyStallings.com.