Professional contraction and the growth of teacher confidence. Experiences in the teaching of poetry from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

ABSTRACT

A rising crisis of confidence has been noted amongst teachers of poetry in recent years. Amplified by external factors such as high-stakes testing regimes, performance indicators, standardisation and accountability measures, teachers are increasingly challenged to provide immersive, imaginative and engaging encounters with poetry while developing and maintaining their sense of professional confidence. Drawing on data gleaned from 84 English teachers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, this research explores teachers’ sense of confidence in the teaching of post-16 poetry. The findings of this research indicate a strikingly high level of reported confidence amongst post-16 poetry teachers juxtaposed with low levels of informal poetry engagement, low levels of poetry-related in-service attendance and a reduced commitment to pedagogical innovation. The research points towards the emergence of a new professionalism in which teacher confidence is reinforced through professional contraction and compliance with practices of pedagogical standardisation.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher confidence
• professionalism
• continuous professional development
• poetry
• pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Project partners; The University of Limerick, Nottingham Trent University, University of Oxford, Queen’s University Belfast, University of York and Ulster University.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by SCoTENS (Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South).

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Hennessy

Jennifer Hennessy is a Lecturer in Education at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her research interests include poetry pedagogy, the impact of assessment on teaching and learning, curriculum development and practitioner research.

Nicola Marlow

Nicola Marlow is a Lecturer in Education at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland , where she is Course Director for the post primary PGCE English with Drama and Media Studies programme. She is currently in the final stages of completing a PhD on writing research that explores the range of pedagogies and positions assumed by educators within classroom contexts. Her research interests also include literacy, creativity, and drama education.

Joy Alexander

Joy Alexander is now retired, but was for eighteen years a lecturer in Education at Queen's University, Belfast. She retains an interest in English teaching, listening in English, and teaching poetry.

Sue Dymoke

Sue Dymoke is an Associate Professor in Education who works at the Nottingham Institute of Education, Nottingham Trent University where she leads the Education Policy and Practice Research Group. She has published widely in the fields of poetry pedagogy and writing development. Her current research project, Young Poets’ Stories, is funded by the Foyle Foundation.