Tensions in current curriculum reform and the development of teachers’ professional autonomy

Abstract

Current curriculum reform in Wales provides an opportunity for teachers to have greater freedom to develop pedagogical approaches that meet the needs of their pupils. The Successful Futures report recommends that teachers should have a greater autonomy in choosing how to deliver the curriculum, and ensuring it is done so in a manner that is meaningful and relevant to their pupils. Strengthening teachers' agency in relation to pedagogy, however, can sometimes be difficult to achieve because, for example, of perceived issues around workload and accountability. There are many 'off-the-peg' or ready-made solutions to the challenges of curriculum reform, and in many cases, schools are responding to such challenges using ready-made or bespoke approaches. This paper explores the nature of the tensions between the drive to empower professional contributions to curriculum reform, and increase autonomy for teachers, and the existing professional practices. In particular, as an example of the tensions, the paper considers how and why one school selected a commercial mindfulness package to contribute to the newly defined Health and Wellbeing Area of Experience, and the implication of this choice on teacher autonomy and pedagogical practice.

Communicating for workplace connection: A longitudinal study of the outcomes of listening training on teachers' autonomy, psychological safety, and relational climate

“…When teachers experience psychological safety, they can innovate to maximize their effectiveness, cultivating more creative learning climates (Sun & Huang, 2019). Studies that have evaluated undue restrictions on teachers have led to recommendations to bolster support for their psychological safety (Hughes & Lewis, 2020). Nevertheless, it is clear that establishing a climate of psychological safety in schools is fraught with difficulties (Weiner et al, 2021).…”

Elementary teachers' beliefs and practices pertaining to freedom of learning curriculum reform policy: A qualitative study

“…National and international trends in curriculum reform, an undoubtedly complex process, require teachers to serve as agents of reform and to have the freedom to determine how to present a curriculum (Hughes & Lewis, 2020;Priestley, Biesta, & Robinson, 2013). Our case study findings indicated that although some Indonesian elementary school teachers were pessimistic about the outcomes of curriculum reform, which dampened their motivation, other teachers appreciated the objective of the curriculum reform and remained positive about its potential benefits for teachers and students.…”

Traversing between Supra, Macro, and Meso Sites

“…Before the new curricula were introduced, both Scotland and Wales had a prescribed curriculum, which means that the flexibility offered to teachers is novel. Although this is widely welcomed by teachers (Hughes and Lewis, 2020;Priestley and Minty, 2013), there are still enduring questions about the extent to which teachers use this flexibility and how the other components of the education system, such as the examination system, encourages them to use such flexibility. In Wales, the Pioneer Schools Network was envisaged as an effective way to achieve this, as evident in some of the pioneer teachers' comments.…”

“…More specifically, the four purposes, the organisation of the content, and the design principles are very similar, although the Es and Os in Scotland are more detailed compared to the Descriptions of Learning in the CfW. The first reaction to the introduction of the new curriculum has been widely positive in both countries, albeit with some cautions and concerns emerging thereafter (Hughes and Lewis, 2020;Priestley and Minty, 2013). However, there was a critical debate in Scotland on the extent of purposeful selection of the four capacities and values, and also the lack of theoretical and conceptual clarity (Priestley and Humes, 2010).…”