TEACHERS AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS?

Although we don't normally think of teachers in private practice--self-employed, in other words--in actuality it can be a very rewarding way for teachers to do what they are trained to do. The image of a teacher tied to a particular school building or site, answerable at all times to a bevy of administrators and imposed policies, is a common and often accurate perception, but it is not the only model for successful teaching. 

Music, dance, arts, crafts, martial arts instructors, coaches and many others are examples of teachers in private practice. The advantages are numerous:  

1. A teacher in private practice is freed from a wide range of bureaucratic entanglements that are pervasive in our public school systems.

2. Self-employed teachers are free to follow their own agendas and are not bound to the agendas of their supervisors and administrators. However, self-employed teachers do need to be attentive to the needs of their students and clients.

3. The income derived by independent teachers is far more likely to be merit-based than in schools that are tied to union policies.

4. A self-employed teacher is under no obligation to be "certified" (or "certificated," the bizarre term employed by school districts these days). This means that a self-guided teacher is free to design his/her own path to acquiring necessary expertise in a chosen field. It is not even necessary for an independent teacher to hold an actual college degree, so long as that person can demonstrate competence.

5. Disciplinary issues are generally much decreased in a non-conventional classroom setting.

6. Independent teachers generally find themselves to be doers and demonstrators of knowledge or skills rather than simply emcees for video instruction and textbooks. They will teach by showing as well as explaining. (Ever notice how many public school physical education instructors never demonstrate techniques of swimming, tennis, soccer, etc.--for obvious reasons--but instead can only rely on explaining what needs to be done? Independent teachers, on the contrary, are expected to fully demonstrate what needs to be done.)

Of course, there are drawbacks to being self-employed: financial security is not automatic, resource tools may not be readily available. At the same time, sometimes the rewards might be far greater; some music teachers might earn very little independently, but some command very high hourly rates. However, any individual considering a commitment to educating others might want to carefully weigh out the advantages of selecting a personalized path to achieving their goals as educators. Knowledge--and its dissemination--is too important to be under the control of any sort of oligarchy.