ABSTRACT
Drawing upon evidence from the research and policy literature, this chapter will show that results-driven policy agendas in many countries have increased the pressures on schools, not only to raise the standards of teaching but to ensure that teaching itself is target driven and compliant to more explicitly instrumentalist agendas. In addition, it will show how the changing socio-cultural conditions in which students live have combined to place increased external accountabilities, work complexity and emotional workload on teachers. In the twenty-first-century world of the teacher notions of the autonomous, ‘activist’ professional are said to be challenged by neo liberal, ‘performativity’ agendas (Ball, 2003; Sachs, 2003a). We do not challenge this evidence but examine how it might affect teachers’ capacities and capabilities to teach to their best.
