The Emotional Dimension of Enacting Student Voice Practices in Primary Physical Education

While student voice has become increasingly prominent within educational research, little is understood about the challenges faced by teachers in enacting student voice practices (SVPs) in everyday teaching, particularly challenges within the affective domain. The aim of this research is to explore the emotional dimension of one teacher’s enactment of SVPs in primary physical education. We employ a Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices (S-STTEP) approach to explore the experience of the first author (Grace) of enacting SVPs in physical education across two academic years. We analyze her written reflections, along with the transcripts of meetings with a critical friend. The findings center on Grace’s experience of managing expectations and navigating the non-linear journey to becoming a student voice pedagogue. In enacting SVPs, Grace worked through conflicting emotions tied to various expectations; namely her own, her students, and the external expectations placed on her as a classroom teacher. In addition, Grace’s emotions played a key role in her perception of her professional identity as she grew as a student voice pedagogue and came to understand what that meant to her and others. Engaging in reflection-on-reflection and interacting with a critical friend were key in helping her navigate, make sense of, and move past challenging emotional experiences. This research holds important implications for supporting teachers by promoting collaborative, reflective approaches to practitioner research, such as self-study, as they navigate emotional challenges associated with the implementation of SVPs and other innovations in primary education.