Teacher agency and the use of mathematics curriculum materials across cultural contexts

Using an ecological perspective on teacher agency, this study explores the relationships between teachers’ professional decisions, mathematics curriculum materials (CMs), and cultural norms and values in three educational contexts: Finland, Sweden, and the United States. The data were drawn primarily from a survey of 311 teachers (grades 1-6) inquiring into use and perceptions of their CMs, and analysis of the most commonly reported CMs. Findings indicated that across the three educational systems, CMs differed in how they guided teachers. They were also configured differently within each system. These configurations shaped teachers’ professional space, making prominent different components that influenced how they enacted agency in relation to their mathematics CMs. These findings contribute to understanding of the interplay between teachers, CMs, and cultural traditions and values related to teaching and teachers’ roles.