The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we contribute to the conversation on what possibilities a realist perspective can bring to curriculum theory. We do that by exploring the realism aspect of pragmatism. Second, we explore the scope and character of teacher agency as they are perceived by the teachers in their role as translators of the prescribed curriculum into an enacted practice. We do that by analysing ten interviews with teachers on the theme of curriculum reform, taking into account a three-dimensional analyses model comprising aspects of influences from the past, the present and the future. Thus, the questions can be formulated as: How can a pragmatic understanding of realism contribute to a reconceptualization of the concept of agency? How can a temporal understanding of agency analytically contribute to a relational understanding of teacher agency?