Why a Teacher’s Opinion Doesn’t Matter and Why That’s a Beautiful Thing

From the desk of Dr. Robert Sawyer

There’s something I wish every teacher could hear, not as criticism, but as reassurance. Your opinion doesn’t matter. And that’s exactly what makes your work so powerful. Let me explain.

When I say your opinion doesn’t matter, I’m not saying you don’t matter. You matter immensely. You matter as a mentor, a guide, a protector of potential, and so much more. You matter as a living example of integrity and curiosity. You matter as a voice of calm in an extremely noisy world.

However, your opinion, your personal “take,” your political preference, your worldviews should never be what shapes a student’s thinking. That is not what we’re here for. We are not sculptors carving students into miniature versions of ourselves. We are gardeners. We create the conditions for growth. And here’s the truth; students cannot grow if they are simply borrowing our opinions.

Students don’t need our conclusions. They need our questions. While we may feel compelled to tell our students our own opinions, we need to remember a few things. First, that’s not our job. Second, by stating our opinions, we open ourselves up to ‘playground gossip’, inappropriate ridicule, and diminished levels of respect. Every child who walks into your classroom brings their own experiences, their own family history, their own way of understanding the world. Our job is not to overwrite that. Our job is to help them learn to think, really think, with clarity, courage, and compassion.

That means:

• Teaching students how to form an opinion.
• Showing them how to evaluate evidence.
• Guiding them toward how to justify what they believe.
• And perhaps most importantly, showing them how to express their views with respect and maturity.

The world is full of loud voices. What our students need are strong minds. When you step back and allow students to explore ideas freely, without steering them toward the answer you would choose, you give them one of the greatest gifts a young person can receive: intellectual independence.

Evidence is their compass. A student’s opinion, whether it matches yours or not, only matters if they can back it up. Anyone can say, “I think.” A student should be able to say, “I think because…” And that “because” is where your real work lies. Helping them identify credible information. Helping them separate fact from feeling. Helping them break apart arguments and rebuild them stronger. Helping them withstand the discomfort of being wrong and the responsibility of being thoughtful. This is the foundation of every AP course, every research project, every lab, every essay, every debate. And it’s the foundation of life outside our walls as well. We’re not preparing students to pass a unit test, semester exam or final exam, or even to graduate school with high grades. We’re preparing them to participate in society without losing their integrity.

Furthermore, keep in mind that respectful expression is a skill, not a coincidence. Let’s be honest. Some adults struggle with this more than students do. But inside our school, inside your classrooms, we have the chance to create something better. We have a chance to create:

• A space where students don’t have to shout to be heard.
• A space where disagreement isn’t a threat.
• A space where diverse perspectives aren’t just tolerated—they’re welcomed.
• A space where students learn that respect doesn’t mean surrendering your views, but presenting them in a way that builds connection rather than hostility.
• A safe space.

This is the heart of our Culture of Care that is an integral component in our collective mission. We’re not just shaping academics. We’re shaping global citizens.

So, what does that mean for you as a teacher? First of all, you have immense influence on the young minds you teach. But, your influence comes from restraint, not imposition. We sometimes underestimate just how much power a teacher holds. A raised eyebrow, a sigh, a joke, or a side comment can steer a child more than we realize. Students often want to please their teachers. They want to say what they think we want to hear. But when you practice the discipline of neutrality; when you show that you aren’t searching for your answer but their reasoning, you free students from trying to read your mind. You let them build a mind of their own. And believe me, they will surprise you every time (or at least most of the time).

Secondly, keep in mind that you are the guide, not the destination. Your personal opinions are your own, and they deserve respect. But in the classroom, your greatest gift is not your stance, it is your steadiness.

So, in summary, keep these points in mind as a professional guide:

• We are teachers.
• We are mentors.
• We are cultivators of thought.
• Our job is not to create agreement.
• Our job is to create thinkers.

And when we do that, truly do that, we are doing something far more important than sharing what we believe. We are shaping who they become. Students who go forward in life with no fear of expressing themselves are a true testament to what we have accomplished.

5 Tips to Inspire Free-thinking

1. Create a Safe Space for Exploration

Students think more freely when they know it’s okay to take risks, make mistakes, and explore unconventional ideas. Establish norms that celebrate curiosity and experimentation.

2. Encourage Open-Ended Inquiry

Pose questions that have no single right answer. Invite students to wonder, speculate, and imagine possibilities.

• “What might happen if…?”
• “How could this be different?”

3. Foster Independent Reflection Before Sharing

Give students time to process ideas on their own before group discussion.

• Quickwrites (short, timed writing activity where students rapidly record their thoughts without worrying about grammar or structure)
• Sketching (some students think better by drawing)
• Personal journals (these help students form original thoughts, not just repeat what others say)

4. Model Curiosity and Flexible Thinking

Let students see you exploring ideas, revising thoughts, and questioning assumptions.

• Think aloud: “I used to think…, but now I’m wondering…”
• Share multiple ways to approach a problem.

5. Celebrate Diverse Perspectives and Creative Thinking

Recognize not just correct answers, but unique approaches, unusual insights, and imaginative interpretations.

• Encourage creative responses
• Highlight “different ways of thinking”
• Praise originality, not conformity