Teacher Quality in Latin American and the Caribbean

• In Event: Convergencias y divergencias en la calidad, los procesos de formación de profesores en America Latina y el Caribe

Abstract

This paper will discuss the impact of teacher quality at the preschool, primary, and secondary levels in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. Evidence shows that teacher quality in LAC countries, particularly in the public sector, faces serious challenges. These challenges include a lack of rigorous standards to enter into the teaching profession, low academic expectations of teaching candidates, and low prospects of salary increase and career advancement for current educators. As this paper will show, poor teacher quality is a serious issue negatively affecting the learning experience of millions of students in the region. As research indicates, the academic performance of LAC students falls significantly behind when compare with the learning outcomes of peers from other parts of the world. This paper will also review some of the innovative strategies various countries in the region are attempting to implement in order to improve teacher quality. These strategies involve revising entry standards, utilizing incentives to attract high quality candidates, and searching for programmatic approaches to enhance the pedagogical skills of current educators.

Author

• Wilson Garcia