Morality and Power in the Classroom

I agree, there is always an eliment of power involved in teaching. This power is not always held by the teacher. Oftentimes it can shift to the student (particularly with a disruptive student) and it can be the reason for disruptiveness. When caught in a power struggle with a class, teachers must be wary of losing control over the classroom dynamic. However, teaching is not about having power over a class, but rather having power over what and how to teach that class. The teacher issues out grades (though I personally think grades are earned, not given), they mark you tardy or absent and they write up examinations. It is all part of the class process. Some level of learning and then a way to quantify that learning. I think it is an interesting perspective that exams imply the teacher doesn't trust the students. Though honestly, I know (as a student) I wouldn't always work towards learning if there weren't a test. I enjoy learning yes, but sometimes it can bog a person down and without some kind of goal (test) in the horizon it can be hard to maintain focus.