Teacher agency and professional practice

• Published in: Teachers and teaching, theory and practice Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 67 - 87
• Main Authors: Molla, Tebeje, Nolan, Andrea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Amartya Sen; Bourdieu (P); Bourdieu, Pierre (1930-2002); Capability approach; Decision Making; Deep learning; Disadvantaged; Educational Philosophy; Faculty Development; Learning; Metacognition; Moral Values; Pierre Bourdieu; Professional Autonomy; professional capability; Professional continuing education; Professional development; Professional Identity; Professional practice; Professional Recognition; Professionalism; Sen (A); Teacher agency; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher beliefs; Teacher education; Teacher improvement; Teacher Responsibility; Teaching Methods; the capability approach; Thinking Skills; Transformative Learning
• ISSN: 1354-0602; 1470-1278
• DOI: 10.1080/13540602.2020.1740196

Drawing on the capability approach to human development and Bourdieuan reflexive sociology, this paper explores the interplay of teacher agency and professional practice. The paper names five facets of teacher agency. It shows that teachers with a strong sense of agency actively seek learning opportunities-inquisitive agency; think effortfully about their beliefs and practices-deliberative agency; demand to be valued and respected for their professional work-recognitive agency; are committed to addressing educational disadvantages-responsive agency; and act ethically and make morally justifiable decisions-moral agency. Professional learning experiences that problematise practice and context of practice are proposed as an instrument for building teacher agency.