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Why do people who have never been in education, feel like they can tell you how to teach, how to manage your class, and critize everything you do in the classroom?

I have thought the same thing in the past about education. I am assuming that this person would be someone that has had an education.  The people that are micromanaging education are people who have sat in a classroom and who might have possibly learned skills to advise or help teachers educate. If you go to college for 4 years, I would say that you would have opinions about how a classroom should run. These opinions might not be based on research or the current trend but based on what has or has not worked for that individual.  I feel as a teacher that the person assessing my teaching should have an education background and knowledge of classroom management however that is rarely the case.

My feeling is that it's because education is something, unlike medicine or nuclear physics, that seems accessible (and really is to a large degree) to laypeople.  Everyone has spent time in a classroom, everyone with children going to school has ideas about childrearing.  Therefore, they feel qualified to have opinions about education.

In addition, education is a subject that is near and dear to the hearts of just about everyone with a kid in school.  There are few things in life that are more important than your own child's education, so it would seem like such people ought to have opinions rather than just sitting back and letting themselves be told what to do.

I think that when one is in education, one just has to take all the input from other people and let it slide off.  BTW, it's the same way when you coach sports, and I think for the same reasons I articulated above.

Learning to teach is not easy.  Anyone can be a teacher, but not everyone can teach WELL.  Some have a natural gift for it, and others have to work at every bit of the process--planning, delivery, people skills, and motivation of unwilling students.  I find that most people who try to tell me how to do my job don't have a clue regarding how much time and effort goes into effective lesson plans and knowing each student's capabilities and limitations or learning styles.  I would suggest that these people try substitute teaching to see if they really know what they're talking about or if they're just blowing steam.  As with anything, teaching looks easy and the best teachers make it seem effortless...that's the trick.  There is so much that occurred before that "effortless" lesson took place.

One need not be a cook to be able to judge the quality of food, and to make suggestion for improving the taste, flavour, nutrition, consistency, or so many other aspects of food. I cannot make a cutlet, but when I am given a cutlet to eat I can say that it is over done or under done. I can also talk about increasing or decreasing the quantity of some of the ingredients. IN the same way I believe any one who has been a student is well qualified to give many types of suggestion to improve teaching effectiveness.

In response to post #4, I agree that teaching isn't always easy. When the lessons go smoothly and everything falls into place, all is well!

There are those well-meaning parents who feel that they have better ideas for classroom lessons and management. I knew of a substitute teacher who admitted she was one of those parents, but found out how things really were when she came to work!