Illusio and the field of education: examining progressive teachers’ adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study explores how early childhood teachers in a progressive private school in the Midwest adapted to changes resulting from the closing of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing Bourdieu’s notions of habitus, field, and illusio, we examine how educators in the school approached the move to distance learning during the early months of the pandemic, a time of crisis that led to dramatic and chaotic change. The findings from this study show how differences within a disposition toward progressive teaching greatly impact how teachers were able to adapt practice to eLearning. These findings raise questions about whether there are elements of habitus that better align with the field of progressive education.