Aligning Visions: Striking a Balance Between Personal Convictions for Teaching and Instructional Goals

Abstract

Theory suggests that effective teachers should possess a vision for teaching, but the reality of teaching within the current educational policy climate raises questions about teachers’ autonomy of their instructional decisions and ultimately their personal convictions for teaching. This exploratory study examines 11 teachers’ visions of teaching and the extent to which their reported visions aligned with instructional goals for their students. Findings suggest that teachers’ reported visions aimed to develop dispositional qualities in students despite great concern over the pressures of standardized testing and district mandates.

Key words:

• teacher autonomy
• teacher education
• teacher visioning