Teacher professional learning is of increasing interest as education professionals continually seek ways to support 21st-century learners. Continuing education is necessary for teachers to expand their knowledge base and remain current on the latest educational research; therefore, professional development is a staple in the teaching profession.…

In England and Scotland, the History National Curriculum avoids the prescription of specific content; expecting schools instead to devise a curriculum appropriate to their pupils within broad guidance. This means in both countries, teachers apparently have responsibility for constructing a curriculum: selecting content, sequencing learning and…

The last decade has witnessed increasing interest in the potential place of contemplative practices (such as mindfulness, meditation and yoga) in education. Regarding the lives and work of teachers, research in this area has focused almost exclusively on mindfulness-based interventions and related outcomes of stress, burnout and wellbeing,…

In this article, Special Educational Needs Coordinators' (SENCOs) boundary work in Swedish upper-secondary school is examined in comparison with similar special education professionals in a Nordic context. Here, boundary work is understood as SENCOs' attempts to shape and influence boundaries, distinctions and demarcations between agents and…

Deriving from the social exchange theory, this study proposes a parallel mediation model where job autonomy and trust in school principal were underlying mechanisms through which transformational leadership affects teacher work performance. I propose that the leader provides job autonomy and builds trust among the teachers, that in turn influences…

School improvement depends, fundamentally, upon collective agency--a group capability to work productively together and solve problems. Unfortunately, many schools operate in contexts of adversity that can pose considerable challenges with developing collective agency. Schools serving high-poverty communities of color often face chronic resource…

Given the demands of revised student learning standards, today's teachers face mounting pressure for their students to produce content knowledge and skills ensuring a successful transition to college and careers. An emphasis on teacher learning and professional development has been at the forefront of this transition to best prepare teachers to…

Teacher professional autonomy is important to teachers' work satisfaction, efficiency, well-being, and empowerment. However, it cannot simply be defined as freedom from control because it is relational and contextual. In this paper, we examine the relationality and contextual sensitivity of teacher professional autonomy at 'Newstall' College, a…

This paper reports on a qualitative study which investigated teachers' explanations for changes to their practice over time. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 teachers from two states in the Northeastern United States of America, asking them to reflect on changes to their practice. These teachers were mostly…

This article presents the findings of a study measuring perceptions of teacher autonomy of practitioners of English as a foreign language (EFL). This study also sought to identify areas in which Indonesian secondary schools need to improve to enable teachers to enjoy a greater degree of freedom while completing teaching-related activities.…

Teachers in public and independent schools have left the field of education at a staggering rate. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand what factors kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers describe as influencing their decisions to remain in independent day schools in Florida. For the purpose of this study, independent…

Most teachers have limited flexibility in terms of their schedules, their opportunities for professional learning and collaboration, and how they use their time. However, recent data suggests that rethinking teacher time could be important to improving teacher recruitment and retention. How can districts and schools provide teachers more…

Early career teachers (ECTs) are potential resources for educational innovation and development in schools. Innovative professional potential (IPP) emerges in interaction between ECTs and their school ecology. Using semi-structured timeline interviews, we explored 105 IPP experiences of 19 ECTs in the Netherlands, aiming to understand when and how…

This study explored teachers' perceptions of their experiences participating in self-directed learning (Knowles, 1970, 1975). The teacher participants (n = 127) were guided through a self-directed learning framework for professional learning and reflected on their experiences. Findings indicate teachers reporting increased autonomy and…

Sociocultural theories and Indigenous epistemologies inform approaches to teaching and learning with K-12 multilingual learners and Indigenous students in the United States, and center instruction in the cultural and linguistic identities of children and their communities. Teacher preparation programs often incorporate readings and opportunities…