A professional journey: capturing the complicated relationship between rural teacher agency, multigrade classes and local communities

TY - JOUR

T1 - A professional journey

T2 - capturing the complicated relationship between rural teacher agency, multigrade classes and local communities

AU - Redford, Morag

AU - Coker, Helen

AU - Paterson, Anne

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This paper explores the impact of teaching multigrade classes on developing agency through the professional lifespan of teachers. The research was located in small rural schools in Scotland, where 94 % of the land mass is rural and multigrade classes are a common feature in schools. Three data sets, from early career, experienced teachers and headteachers were examined through the analytic framework of ecological agency considering the social, cultural and individual experiences of teachers’ lives, as they taught multigrade classes in rural communities. The themes of craft of teaching, resources and understanding the school as a community were explored in depth, each demonstrating the influence of teaching multigrade classes on developing teacher agency. The analysis revealed an entanglement of agency, multigrade classrooms and local communities, demonstrating the relevance of multigrade teaching experience to professional agency and the place of multigrade classes in rural communities.

AB - This paper explores the impact of teaching multigrade classes on developing agency through the professional lifespan of teachers. The research was located in small rural schools in Scotland, where 94 % of the land mass is rural and multigrade classes are a common feature in schools. Three data sets, from early career, experienced teachers and headteachers were examined through the analytic framework of ecological agency considering the social, cultural and individual experiences of teachers’ lives, as they taught multigrade classes in rural communities. The themes of craft of teaching, resources and understanding the school as a community were explored in depth, each demonstrating the influence of teaching multigrade classes on developing teacher agency. The analysis revealed an entanglement of agency, multigrade classrooms and local communities, demonstrating the relevance of multigrade teaching experience to professional agency and the place of multigrade classes in rural communities.

KW - multigrade

KW - rural

KW - teacher agency

KW - rural communities

KW - career path

KW - Rural

KW - Multigrade

KW - Career path

KW - Rural communities

KW - Teacher agency

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105004706323

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102599

DO - 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102599

M3 - Article

SN - 0883-0355

VL - 131

JO - International Journal of Educational Research

JF - International Journal of Educational Research

M1 - 102599

ER -