Teachers' experiences of support for curriculum making a new subject, psychology

This article reports teachers' experiences of support for curriculum making a new secondary school subject, psychology, as part major reform, including the introduction external examinations. Seven teachers participated in meetings at eight timepoints over two years. Content analysis identified five themes. Participants described across different sites making: (1) Connectedness with school, (2) Guidance from authority, (3) Collegiality psychology teachers, (4) Student engagement, and (5) Heavy investment their own time to lead way. Proactive reactive that acknowledged backgrounds provided space guidance dialogue was inadequate beginning tended remain Opportunities collaborative were less likely regional areas, science, or only teacher school. The understood subject complex collective endeavour. findings this study emphasise importance cultivating supportive structures processes authority curriculum-broker valuing teacher's central role makers establishing an externally driven curriculum.