'It doesn't have to be like this': Women mathematics teachers' experience of professional learning

Despite the range of possibilities for mathematics teacher professional learning and the reported success of individual initiatives, the overall picture in England appears to be one of restricted access to opportunity together with a lack of appropriate support for individuals. This study explores women mathematics teachers’ experiences of professional learning throughout their careers, focusing on the ways in which their learning is supported. Four in-depth life histories were elicited through semi-structured interviews in the form of guided conversations, supplemented by time-lines of mathematics and of professional learning. The teachers’ narratives reveal that much professional learning is informal, with teachers accorded limited agency and support. Spaces to discuss mathematics learning and teaching are constrained, with teachers appearing isolated within school environments. Where opportunities for collaborative professional learning exist, women participate actively in the wider mathematics education community. Analysis of the narratives suggests that teachers’ agency over their professional learning needs to increase, creating spaces for women to collaborate on mathematics-focused professional learning.