![Sample our Education journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5932/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Education.jpg"})
Abstract
This is an era of significant government involvement in schools in England, despite consistent rhetoric from the Department of Education to the contrary. In such a period, signs can be detected of the juncture between a postmodern identity and post-professional status, two models of teacher professionalism supposed in Hargreaves’ work on the fourth age of professionalism. This paper focuses on the former as the nature of the contemporary context. Defining features of postmodernity are considered through a focus on the broad issue of teacher professionalism. For this paper, this is embodied by teachers’ involvement with the development of the Primary National Curriculum for England. Evidence will be drawn from just before its 1988 introduction until 2013 in order to critique several of the key tenets of postmodernity as identified by Hargreaves. This is of particular importance in a context where a strong defence is necessary to enable the sustainment, and growth, of teachers’ professional autonomy. This paper aims to propose some strategies teachers could enact in the face of postmodern challenges.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Gemma Parker
Gemma Parker is currently a Leader of Learning within a Teaching School in London. Previously she worked in higher education institutions, teaching on primary BA (QTS) and PGCE programmes and leading an accelerated two year BA (Hons) in Primary Education. Gemma's earlier career included class teaching in a number of primary schools, including The British School in the Netherlands, and leading maths in a large urban junior school. Gemma is currently working towards a doctorate in education; her research interests lie in teachers' autonomy and issues of professionalism, particularly related to the primary curriculum.