Understanding Power and Authority

What is power?

• The ability to make friends

• The ability to influence the behavior of others

• The ability to run fast

• The ability to sing well

What is authority?

• The perception that a person has the consent of the group to be in charge

• The ability to jump high

• The ability to draw pictures

• The ability to cook food

What is governance?

• The way rules and actions are structured

• The ability to play games

• The ability to dance

• The ability to swim

Who gives teachers the power to enforce rules in the classroom?

• The students

• The school’s Principal, local School Board, or the State’s Education Department

• The parents

• The janitors

What is the role of the State Dept. of Education?

• To organize educational activities in the State

• To cook meals for students

• To clean the classrooms

• To play sports with students

What is representative democracy?

• A system where voters select who represents them in government

• A system where only one person makes all the decisions

• A system where no one votes

• A system where animals vote

Who decides who will serve as representatives in the American form of government?

• The teachers

• The voters

• The animals

• The trees

What happens if voters don’t like how they are being governed?

• They can vote for new people every two, four, or six years

• They have to accept it forever

• They can only complain

• They can do nothing

What is the main difference between power and authority?

• Power is about making friends, authority is about making rules

• Power is the ability to influence, authority is the perception of consent to be in charge

• Power is about running fast, authority is about jumping high

• Power is about singing, authority is about dancing

Who provides the structure for teachers to follow in their teaching?

• The students

• The School Board and State Education Department

• The parents

• The janitors