The subjectivity offalse hopeand the possibility forcritical hopeamong novice teachers

Abstract

The current neoliberal policy regime that has dictated school reform policies such as standardized testing and performance accountability challenges the professional values of teachers. As a result, they become policy subjects who either accept or resist the neoliberal agenda. Given the high turnover of novice teachers in schools governed by neoliberal policies, this study sought to understand first-year teachers’ feelings of efficacy and career decisions. This paper applies Duncan-Andrade’s (2009) theoretical concepts of false and critical hope to the narrative experiences of three first-year teachers working in high-poverty schools. The findings indicate that teachers’ ideologies may match the false hope of equal opportunity and hard work that are embedded in the neoliberal policy regime. Additionally, first-year teachers may also develop some skepticism of the polices they are forced to implement. However, if they are unsure how to express their skepticism, they may experience hopelessness over time. This paper argues that critical hope presents an opportunity for teachers, administrators, and students to confront neoliberal policies that contradict their vision of schooling and provide a less prescriptive, more universal education. Additionally, it reveals insights into how policy regimes impact the experiences and identities of novice teachers.

Teacher Education Policy, Ethics, and Quality of Graduates: Triad Entities for Remodeling General and Vocational Education and Training

“…The findings of research question 3 could be as a result of the economic degradation and poor attention given to educational institutions in Nigeria. Although this research showed that the presentday graduate teachers demonstrate higher ICT skills for pedagogy, there is little trust in the quality of the teacher for the school system (Duarte, 2019;Ginsburg, 2017). Finally, the outcome of research question 4 showed that there is a 'disconnect' in the interaction between policy, ethics, and quality of graduate teachers in the teacher education programme in Nigeria.…”

“…According to Okafor and Chukwuedo (2015, p. 59), "educational policy is a fundamental document that must guide the smooth running of any educational programme". In the context of the teacher education programmes, this policy promotes effective and efficient teaching-learning processes, management of teaching/learning resources (Duarte, 2019;Toby, 2000), administrative routine (Nwadiani, 2011;Olubor, 2004) and behavioural conducts (Ogbonnaya, 2010) of learners, teaching and non-teaching members of staff of the school system. In its attempt to control behavioural conduct, a policy may be a guide to promoting ethical practices in the educational sector; hence, this research theorized that policy has a connection with ethical practices in the school system as well as the quality of graduate teachers.…”

“…The implication is that the quality of the graduate teachers must be reflected in the ethical values. This quality is, therefore, characterized by teacher's high teaching competences, moral uprightness, mastery of subject matter, demonstrating contemporary technological skills, implementation of guiding dicta in the school system and the society (Duarte, 2019;Naziri et al, 2019;Weissbourd, 2003).…”

Les composantes de l'espoir critique dans les récits de parents Afro‐Canadiens de la Nouvelle‐Écosse

“…Enfin, l'espoir reporté, ou hope deferred , cache un certain désespoir et fait en sorte que le personnel scolaire pousse les élèves à reporter à plus tard leur rêve d'amélioration de leurs conditions, dans un avenir non défini (Duncan‐Andrade, 2009 ). Une étude empirique récente indique que l'espoir à l'eau de rose, l'espoir mythique et l'espoir reporté sont fort répandus dans les récits d'enseignant.e.s qui font référence tant aux piliers de l'espoir critique qu'aux faux espoirs (Duarte, 2019 ).…”

“…Enfin, l'espoir reporté, ou hope deferred, cache un certain désespoir et fait en sorte que le personnel scolaire pousse les élèves à reporter à plus tard leur rêve d'amélioration de leurs conditions, dans un avenir non défini (Duncan-Andrade, 2009). Une étude empirique récente indique que l'espoir à l'eau de rose, l'espoir mythique et l'espoir reporté sont fort répandus dans les récits d'enseignant.e.s qui font référence tant aux piliers de l'espoir critique qu'aux faux espoirs(Duarte, 2019).Duncan-Andrade (2009) propose trois piliers de l'espoir critique : l'espoir matériel (material hope), l'espoir socratique (socratic hope) et l'espoir audacieux (audacious hope). L'espoir matériel se définit comme toute ressource mise en place pour garantir l'apprentissage et la réussite des élèves, notamment un enseignement de qualité et des attentes élevées à l'égard des élèves(Duncan-Andrade, 2009, p.186).…”