You have ruined my daughter's life : PE Teachers' Experiences of Collaboration and Pressures from Parents and School Leaders

Aim and Research Questions The purpose of this study is to explore and develop a deeper understanding of physical education teachers' experiences of collaboration with parents and school leaders, as well as the impact this has on their teaching and grading. The focus is on how pressures from parents and school leaders regarding teaching and grading affect physical education teachers, and the strategies they use to handle these pressures from a power perspective. 1. How do physical education teachers experience collaboration with parents? 2. How do physical education teachers experience pressures from parents and school leadership regarding teaching content and grading? 3. How can the strategies used to manage pressures on physical education teachers be understood from a Foucauldian perspective of power? Method: The study employs a qualitative methodological approach with semi-structured qualitative interviews as the method. The sample was selected using purposive sampling. The sample consisted of seven trained and certified physical education teachers, one of whom is currently on a break. Six of the interviews were conducted at the respondents' workplaces, and one was carried out using the video conferencing program Zoom. An empirical thematic analysis was applied to analyze the collected data. Results: The study's findings revealed that the interviewed teachers emphasize collaboration as important for students' education, noting that it works best when there is an actual need. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of good communication and accessibility. However, when collaboration turns into coercion, the teachers describe it as leading to a stressful work environment. They also perceive conflicts of interest between school leaders and guardians and generally feel that the profession of physical education teaching is of low status. Additionally, the study presents the governance strategies that teachers perceive school leaders and guardians use to influence them, as well as the resistance strategies PE teachers employ to withstand pressure. Conclusions: The study shows that physical education teachers view effective communication and accessibility as central to successful collaboration. Using Foucault's theory of power, the study highlights how norms, discourses, and expectations shape power dynamics between physical education teachers, parents, and school leadership, as well as how coercion and resistance to these dynamics are expressed. The discourse surrounding the low status of physical education teachers reinforces these imbalances, emphasizing the importance of mutual trust, respect, and a shared focus on student development for more effective collaboration.