You phrase it like the teachers prioritized their own comfort ("agency") over children's learning. That's not the case. I'm sure the teachers felt that their methods - or "agency to choose methods that work for them" - were beneficial to learning. I'm sure they felt that the heavyhanded top-down micromanagement was hindering learning. Were they wrong? Yes, probably, I don't know, I guess. I'm just saying they weren't motivated by selfish reasons.