"You Mind Your Business": Conversations to Understand Teacher Agency During COVID-19

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Research in a Pandemic

Abstract

Teacher agency, which conceptualizes the decision-making of teachers in the classroom, is a critical component in adapting and adopting new reforms in education. Using a duoethnographic approach, we, two high school chemistry teachers, reflect, converse, and juxtapose our conversations and stories to relay our agencies and ecological conditions during the fall 2020 semester. Our discussions revealed that these new policies and reforms, developed as a response to COVID-19, led to instructional and curricular changes such as lower rigor, co-teaching, slower instructional pacing, removal of homework, contention with parents, and hidden agreements with students. We hope our dialogue presents new perspectives and encourages a continued dialogue with other stakeholders as we (re)build our post-COVID-19 educational world.

Authors

• Andrew L. Kipp, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Kent Muyskens

• J. Spencer Clark, Kansas State University