No abstract

We argue that teacher autonomy should be conceptualised differently from its current form, that confines teacher autonomy to the individual, or to freedom from control. Here, we investigate the role of trust concerning teachers’ perceptions of their own autonomy, embedded in differing contexts and relations. To display contextual variations, we study qualitatively a sample of Canadian and Finnish upper-secondary school mathematics teachers. Our findings reveal that trust plays a decisive role in whether teachers feel autonomous or not, and that trust plays a central role in relationships teachers have at work. Furthermore, trust is articulated differently according to the teachers’ context. Based on our findings, we argue that a reconceptualisation of teacher autonomy is needed. A relational conceptualisation of teacher autonomy, highlights its inherent relationality and contextual sensitivity, provides new insight into the teachers’ work, and supports more empowering ways for teachers to exert a proactive influence on their autonomy.

Autonomy is essential for teachers’ commitment, satisfaction and retention. However, teacher autonomy is consistently being reduced in the current era of reforms and the sharing of global policies. In this narrative case study, the account of one Canadian teacher (Nora) was examined in relation to how an educational reform influenced her work life in terms of her perceived autonomy and self-confidence. The relation between teacher autonomy and self-confidence was addressed, and the ramifications prompted by the fluctuations in both constructs. The findings suggest that the relationship between Nora’s perceptions of teacher’s professional autonomy and her self-confidence is complex. Nora’s self-confidence was strongly related to her perceived autonomy and the reduction of autonomy triggered significant downward spiralling, leading to isolation. Some discussion on the possible ways to help teachers break this downward spiralling is provided. Finally, this research broadens the collection of stories by teachers on challenges introduced by educational reform and gives voice to teachers suffering in isolation. Key words: educational reform, narrative inquiry, perceived self-confidence, teacher autonomy, teacher isolation.