{"id":{"repo_id":"uoit","oai_identifier":"oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/2090"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uoit/oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/2090","repository":{"repo_id":"uoit","name":"Ontario Institute of Technology","base_url":"https://ontariotechu.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools","abstract":"This study investigates the experiences of four early years teachers (K-3) in Ontario priority schools. Priority schools often face disparities and have a higher proportion of students who are labelled as at-risk or have special education needs. Subsequently, teachers need to advocate for resources, yet their efforts are often unfulfilled. As a result, this can lead to higher rates of teacher attrition and burnout in priority schools. Unfortunately, teacher experiences are often absent in literature on priority schools. Contributing to the literature, this multiple-case study uses a teacher identity development framework to examine how the perceived agency of four early years educators is shaped within their school structures. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that although the teachers express feeling little or no agency, their narratives contain examples of agentic action. This study’s implications can contribute to further discussion on teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools.","abstract_html":"This study investigates the experiences of four early years teachers (K-3) in Ontario priority schools. Priority schools often face disparities and have a higher proportion of students who are labelled as at-risk or have special education needs. Subsequently, teachers need to advocate for resources, yet their efforts are often unfulfilled. As a result, this can lead to higher rates of teacher attrition and burnout in priority schools. Unfortunately, teacher experiences are often absent in literature on priority schools. Contributing to the literature, this multiple-case study uses a teacher identity development framework to examine how the perceived agency of four early years educators is shaped within their school structures. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that although the teachers express feeling little or no agency, their narratives contain examples of agentic action. This study’s implications can contribute to further discussion on teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Muchmaker, Jennifer Rose"],"institution":"University of Ontario Institute of Technology","degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Ruttenberg-Rozen, Robyn"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-04-01","date_published":"2026-04-01","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:35:22Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10155/2090","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Ruttenberg-Rozen, Robyn"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Muchmaker, Jennifer Rose"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-04-28T18:17:53Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-04-01"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Ontario Institute of Technology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10155/2090"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study investigates the experiences of four early years teachers (K-3) in Ontario priority schools. Priority schools often face disparities and have a higher proportion of students who are labelled as at-risk or have special education needs. Subsequently, teachers need to advocate for resources, yet their efforts are often unfulfilled. As a result, this can lead to higher rates of teacher attrition and burnout in priority schools. Unfortunately, teacher experiences are often absent in literature on priority schools. Contributing to the literature, this multiple-case study uses a teacher identity development framework to examine how the perceived agency of four early years educators is shaped within their school structures. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that although the teachers express feeling little or no agency, their narratives contain examples of agentic action. This study’s implications can contribute to further discussion on teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Ruttenberg-Rozen, Robyn"],"dc:creator":["Muchmaker, Jennifer Rose"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-04-28T18:17:53Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2026-04-01"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study investigates the experiences of four early years teachers (K-3) in Ontario priority schools. Priority schools often face disparities and have a higher proportion of students who are labelled as at-risk or have special education needs. Subsequently, teachers need to advocate for resources, yet their efforts are often unfulfilled. As a result, this can lead to higher rates of teacher attrition and burnout in priority schools. Unfortunately, teacher experiences are often absent in literature on priority schools. Contributing to the literature, this multiple-case study uses a teacher identity development framework to examine how the perceived agency of four early years educators is shaped within their school structures. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that although the teachers express feeling little or no agency, their narratives contain examples of agentic action. This study’s implications can contribute to further discussion on teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10155/2090"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:title":["Teacher identity and agency in Ontario priority schools"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Ontario Institute of Technology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:35:22Z"}