ABSTRACT
Chapter 8 reviews the role of teachers and the pedagogies they use for instruction in schools. Teachers serve as crucial links between educational policies and classroom realities, shaping learning through their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as their influence on student outcomes and broader development objectives. Historically speaking, there are many compelling reasons why individuals decide to become teachers; this is especially the case for women, who have traditionally had difficulties in finding government employment in both industrialized and developing countries. The chapter identifies major challenges—such as inadequate training, limited resources, and overcrowded classrooms—that can undermine teacher motivation and instructional time on task, particularly in low-income contexts. In terms of pedagogies, research suggests that teachers naturally gravitate toward pedagogies that will make their own instructional lives easier—sometimes with little attention paid to what students are actually learning. Thus, there have been recent efforts to diversify pedagogical approaches aimed at improving outcomes for students, including structured pedagogy, differentiated learning, and “teaching at the right level.” Investing in teachers as learners, by providing improved pre- and in-service teacher training, are among the key ingredients of an effective school environment.
