The Importance of Teachers' Sense of Community and Collective Empowerment in a High-Stakes Accountability System

• In Event: An Aerial View of Teacher Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how the high-stakes accountability affected teachers’ sense of professional autonomy. The theoretical framework of this paper is based on the work of Gregory Bateson. One of Bateson’s main arguments rested on the idea that we are always in a relationship with something or someone, and it is that relationship that gives meaning. This qualitative study is part of a larger mixed-methods study that looked at the relationship between teacher autonomy and high-stakes accountability technologies. The discussion of this paper revolves around the idea of collective empowerment and a sense of community. These topics are aligned with AERA’s proposal concerning the value of collaborative work.

Authors

• Ignacio Barrenechea, University of Miami

• Wendy Cavendish, University of Miami