Today is World Teacher’s Day. And let’s face it: education could use the positive attention. The past few years have not been much fun for anyone close or far from education in many places around the globe.

An important evolution in thinking about how children can learn and develop wants to end this. That trend is called evidence-informed education. The basic idea is that teachers make well-considered choices based on scientific information and their own observations. That’s a step beyond the evidence-based ideal, in which education would be as scientifically based as the drugs a doctor prescribes for a patient.

In the last century, some dreamed of ‘teacher-proof’ teaching materials, with which all teachers would almost automatically teach well. Education would improve by giant strides, and the teacher shortage would melt like snow in the sun! Those who hoped for this would come back from a wasted journey.

After all, any teacher knows that a lesson that goes perfectly well one day can go awry the next. Unpredictability is precisely what makes teaching both challenging and fascinating. That’s why teaching is a craft not easily replaced by artificial intelligence.

With evidence-informed teaching, we recognize and acknowledge teacher professionalism. Scientists do not know the students of your class or school. They can, however, inform educational professionals about what can work and what can be less effective, and especially what possible side effects an approach can have.

After all, what works well in one class may even have adverse effects in another class or with a few students in a class. Take homework. We know homework, especially in secondary education, can be relatively inexpensive and pretty effective. Still, if a student does not have space at home to work quietly, it becomes a different story. Compare it to a package insert for a drug that also states that it is best not to take the drug if you are pregnant or that some users of the drug can get dizzy.

This is what science can do for education: write research-based package inserts for those in front of classrooms or support teachers in doing so. Many teachers are already doing a good job based on training, experience, and common sense. However, such package inserts can help even the most experienced teacher if only to expand their toolbox further.

Some people argue that teachers should become scientists themselves. This is a nice ambition, but perhaps not the right way to go. Both being researchers and teachers are wonderful professions, but they are not synonyms. I know several top researchers who are better off not being put in front of the classroom, and some of the best teachers I have had the pleasure of meeting had less to do with research. But if we respect both professions for what they offer society, we can keep our children and young people flying high together.

That is why we celebrate Teacher’s Day on October 5. By the way, we celebrate science on November 10!