Demonstrating Elementary Teachers’ Agency Through Core Practices

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 10:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Reimagining Teacher Collaboration and Professional Growth: Advancing Equity and Agency in Mathematics and STEAM Education (Table 9)

Abstract

Inquiry is a promising avenue for providing intellectually rich, interdisciplinary instruction in elementary classrooms. This approach demands teachers demonstrate agency as knowledgeable leaders as they design and implement learning experiences for students. This study relied on focus groups with PK-5th grade teachers to explore their understandings and uses of six core teaching practices associated with inquiry. Using a framework of conceptual and practical tools (Grossman et al., 2000) for analysis, findings suggest practicing teachers are already using many core teaching practices necessary for teaching through inquiry. Additionally, teachers described practical challenges to implementing these practices such as political and logistical constraints as well as difficulty curating developmentally appropriate resources. Implications for professional development and teacher educators are discussed.

Authors

• Michelle Bauml, Texas Christian University

• Kristy Brugar, University of Oklahoma