Niccolo Machiavelli may have missed his intended audience. In fact, his audience should have been the teachers of the young, writes Regina Barreca for Education World. While Machiavelli doesn't project the warm and fuzzy image everyone has of quality teachers, he does understand the nature of authority. Most people can agree that some form of authority is necessary for the effective management of a classroom. So, according to Machiavelli, a teacher assumes authority by either being given authority or outright taking it. It is great to ask students for this authority, but only if one knows they will give it. If the answer is in doubt, the ability to compel/force is much cleaner than relying on persuading, coercing or manipulating students because these tricks are underhanded and unspoken, i.e., best left to politics. Further, it is undoubtedly easier for a teacher to count to 10 and let a challenge pass, but rarely is the easiest path the best choice (that whole road less traveled thing). Instead, teachers should exercise their position's authority in a responsible, effective and clear fashion.

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