I Like the Practical Side. Early Career Teachers in Catholic Schools, Interpretative Autonomy, and Negotiating Secular and Religious Boundaries. A Preliminary Study

Abstract

This study is a preliminary examination of early career teachers who work in Catholic schools in a regional Australian diocese. By examining early career teachers, the aim is to better understand religious and secular influences on an indicative group of teachers, and how these influences may shape their work in Catholic schools. A number of analytical categories are used to describe early career teachers, including the notion of interpretive autonomy. This allows early career teachers to negotiate their engagement with the school, with reference to their personal choices. Key findings identify the importance of values in shaping teachers’ identity, and the place of the school as the most prominent marker of teachers’ religious life. A number of recommendations for teacher formation are provided in light of the findings.