How Latin American Teachers Experienced their Work and their School? New Information from TERCE Study

Abstract

This article analyzes TERCE data about primary teacher opinions in 15 Latin American countries in relation to their work and, school. Some of the conclusions are the following: teachers were highly satisfied with their work, but not with their salaries; a dissonance exists in terms of the real educational effect they have on their students (a highly shared perception exists of self-sufficiency with a determinist vision of families background influence); an array of teachers expectations about the students continuing studies materials amongst the different countries and also within them; a very positive vision and relationship with their colleagues and with their principals in the school; a critical view of 6th graders in terms of teachers educational work in the classroom and accomplishment of professional duties; and some subjective differences in teachers according to their individual characteristics (gender, age and experience) and the type of school where they work (private v/s public, urban v/s rural). The analysis concludes by showing the need of educational policies that allow for the care and growth of the capital allocated for the teachers of the region and new comparative studies to further understand the differences amongst the teacher opinions in the different countries of the Region.