Connecting Professional Orientation to Professional Community

Abstract

This study measured teacher professional orientation with a new instrument and investigated connections among teacher professional orientations and professional community. The data collected in a survey of teachers (n=185) from one U.S. school district indicated five factors of teacher professional orientation: agency, authority (local), authority (state), autonomy, and deep knowledge. The data further indicated significant links between professional community and teacher professional orientation. In particular, responses indicating robust professional community connected significantly with responses indicating teacher agency.