ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that successful teaching requires more than content knowledge, as important as that is. It discusses the complexity of teaching and illustrates that this complexity makes teaching very difficult. The chapter also illustrates that some teachers are unaware of much that occurs in their classroom and, hence, often miss opportunities for improving teaching. It argues that the most comprehensive way to conceptualize teaching is as decision making. Unfortunately, sometimes schools adopt reform packages that recommend practices that use a "one size fits all" format that limits teachers' autonomy and decision making. One research area involved the differential communication patterns due to teachers' expectations for students believed to be high or low ability. Classroom complexity is likely even greater in classrooms where teachers interact with students from various cultures and who have different ethnic identities. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
