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Teacher agency over curriculum and professional learning: lock-step

Andrew Wild (Woodrow Wilson Academy of Teaching and Learning, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) (Knowles Teacher Initiative, Moorestown, New Jersey, USA)
Jodie Galosy (Knowles Teacher Initiative, Moorestown, New Jersey, USA)
Melissa Kagle (Knowles Teacher Initiative, Moorestown, New Jersey, USA)
Nicole Gillespie (Knowles Teacher Initiative, Moorestown, New Jersey, USA)
Jeff Rozelle (Knowles Teacher Initiative, Moorestown, New Jersey, USA)

Journal of Professional Capital and Community

ISSN: 2056-9548

Article publication date: 26 September 2018

Issue publication date: 4 October 2018

660

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how a group of International Baccalaureate (IB) Physics teachers exercise collective agency by initiating and facilitating their own collaboration using online tools across time zones and school contexts. The paper seeks to inform teacher communities, school leaders, policy and the growing body of literature about teacher agency.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses qualitative case study approach. Data were gathered from individual interviews, classroom observations and the group’s meeting agendas, notes and reflections.

Findings

Central to the group’s work is a norm of teaching “lock-step,” meaning they teach approximately the same lesson at approximately the same time. The norm enabled them to exercise collective agency over the curriculum and professional learning by establishing conditions for sharing knowledge and experiences and fostering accountability while still allowing for some individual adaptation.

Practical implications

An implication for teacher communities is that the norm of lock-step may be of benefit for improving curriculum (or other educational reforms) when the intention of the norm is to advance the collective (vs marching at the same pace). The study underscores the value of school leaders providing opportunities for teacher choice and voice in the design and facilitation of their learning communities.

Originality/value

The case of the IB Physics group contrasts decades of research showing that teachers cling to their autonomy. Group members were willing to give up a good deal of their individual autonomy for the benefits they derived from their collaboration.

Keywords

Citation

Wild, A., Galosy, J., Kagle, M., Gillespie, N. and Rozelle, J. (2018), "Teacher agency over curriculum and professional learning: lock-step", Journal of Professional Capital and Community, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 306-320. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-12-2017-0034

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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