"Teaching is the only major occupation of man for which we have not yet developed tools that make an average person capable of competence and performance. In teaching we rely on the "naturals," the ones who somehow know how to teach"

Peter Drucker's observation calls attention to a fundamental paradox in the profession of teaching. Throughout history, human ingenuity has led to the creation of methods, resources, and tools that elevate the average person's ability in professions like agriculture, manufacturing, medicine, or law. Even those without extraordinary natural ability can be trained to perform competently using developed techniques and standardized best practices. However, teaching appears resistant to this kind of systematization. Instead of relying on universally effective tools or methods, society continues to depend mainly on individuals who possess a seemingly innate talent for instruction, the so-called “naturals.”

This reliance exposes several issues. First, it suggests that the field of education has yet to distill effective teaching into a set of consistently transferable skills. While other professions have broken down their core competencies into teachable, learnable steps, surgeons learn procedures, mechanics follow manuals, pilots use checklists, teachers are often left to rely on intuition, personality, or personal experience. Teacher training programs exist, but their effectiveness varies widely and many graduates still struggle to engage students or foster deep learning unless they possess a pre-existing knack for teaching.

The consequences are profound. Students’ educational experiences depend not on a reliably effective system, but on the luck of being assigned to a gifted teacher. This situation perpetuates inequity and limits the overall effectiveness of education. Moreover, the absence of well-honed, adaptable “tools” places enormous pressure on individual teachers, who are expected to be innovators, motivators, and subject matter experts all at once.

Drucker’s critique challenges policymakers, scholars, and practitioners to advance the professionalization of teaching, not merely by training more, but by developing proven, widely applicable practices and resources. The goal would be to raise the floor, ensuring that even those without extraordinary gifts could consistently deliver powerful, transformative learning experiences. Until such a transformation occurs, education will remain vulnerable to the inconsistencies that come from over-reliance on the few born “naturals.”