ABSTRACT
Introduction: Why Study the Labour Process of Teaching? In the previous chapter we outlined the manifestations of what we called a crisis in teaching which is apparent in so many countries. This grim picture is more than a background to what is happening in education: it is a reality that teachers live with and through in their daily professional lives. It establishes the conditions of education work, and so structures the nature of that work and the ways in which it is experienced. It determines largely whether or not teachers enjoy their job. For this reason alone it is important that we understand what is happening.
