Many institutions value discussion, debate and persuasion as tools for decision making. For example, one school recently changed its mascot from a Mohawk Indian to a hawk through dialogues that involved all constituents of the school community. One source of faculty power in independent schools is the small size. A teacher in an independent school can usually expect to be responsible for a manageable number of students in small groups. This advantage gives the teacher the power to know students as individuals, to give them individual attention, and thereby to be more effective educators.
Independent schools enjoy a rich tradition of local control of both policy and practice.
This means it is easier for teachers to implement their ideas. At an independent school in Toledo a new course was designed and put into the curriculum very quickly. A history teacher and an English teacher used their interests in women's studies to design a one semester cross-disciplinary course for juniors and seniors. With few bureaucratic constraints, the course was designed, approved and implemented in a matter of weeks. Generally, independent schools give their teachers a great deal of autonomy.