NEGOTIATING TEACHER AUTONOMY AND CURRICULUM STANDARDS IN INDONESIAN ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOLS

Abstract

Teacher autonomy plays a crucial role in enabling educators to respond effectively to diverse classroom contexts while maintaining curriculum standards. However, little is known about how English teachers in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) exercise professional autonomy within the dual demands of national curriculum requirements and Islamic educational values. This study investigates how teachers negotiate curriculum standardization, the factors influencing their professional autonomy, and the ways autonomy supports effective English language teaching in Islamic school contexts. Employing a qualitative case study design, the study involved four English teachers from Islamic boarding schools in East Java, Indonesia, who were purposively selected based on their teaching experience and educational background. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed three interconnected themes. First, teachers implemented contextual and value-integrated teaching by embedding Islamic values, cultural relevance, and students' lived experiences into English instruction. Second, they adopted adaptive teaching strategies through interactive learning, technology integration, and student-centered pedagogies to balance curriculum requirements with learners' needs. Third, teachers employed holistic assessment practices that evaluated not only language proficiency but also critical thinking, collaboration, communication skills, and character development. These findings suggest that teacher autonomy in Islamic boarding schools extends beyond instructional flexibility to encompass the integration of pedagogical innovation, religious values, and professional judgment within standardized curriculum frameworks. The study contributes to the growing literature on teacher autonomy by providing empirical evidence from an underexplored Islamic educational context and demonstrates that curriculum standardization and teacher autonomy can coexist when teachers are empowered to adapt instructional practices to local educational values. Future research should examine teacher autonomy across diverse Islamic educational settings and explore its long-term impact on students' academic achievement, intercultural competence, and character development.