ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results of a cross-cultural inquiry into the values held by teachers in the USA, Costa Rica, Palestine and the Republic of Ireland. This work seeks to discuss these values in relation to ideological preferences and the curriculum. If we are to engage in models of critical inquiry into educational issues and ground our work in a theory of education, whether Essentialism or Critical Realism, we should hold some evidence about teachers’ desired values. The surveys were completed using the terminal and instrumental value systems of teacher education students and practicing teachers utilizing the Rokeach Value Survey (Rokeach, 1973) Form D in the Republic of Ireland (N = 302), Palestine (N = 147), Costa Rica (N = 27) and the USA (N = 194). The data were subjected to six hypotheses related to value perspectives identified in the curriculum thought of Chapter 1 and a cluster analysis of the thirty-six values in the survey: educational, caring, religious, political, social and personal model types emerged as significant.
