The Work Context of Teaching: an analytic framework for the study of teachers in classrooms

Teachers do not work under ideal circumstances. The resources allocated through the school organisation confront them with particular imperatives, dilemmas and possibilities which they feel obliged to take into account in their routine activity. Using the notion of ‘competent membership’ this paper develops an analytic framework derived from the sociology of organisations which focuses attention on the work context of teaching. Specifically, it is argued: (1) that routine teacher activity constitutes a practical response to perceived exigencies of the situation, and (2) that these exigencies can be attributed to particular organisational arrangements.