Elevating Teacher Status

Vikas Pota's raising teacher status speech attempts to measure teacher status in different countries with the use of a global index. The surveyed questions and responses attempt to understand what motivates individuals to pursue teaching as a career, in order to try and attract the best candidates to the profession.

The data from the index, which spans 22 countries, reveals three consistencies, the first being a worldwide belief that teachers should receive higher pay, and that this pay should be determined on a performance basis. The second unanimous response concerned the professional ranking of teachers. In Europe, for instance, teaching is on par with being a librarian or social worker, whereas in China, teaching is equated to doctor status. Finally, the public perception on student respect towards teachers was mentioned frequently in the study. Again, in China students exhibit a high level of respect towards their teachers.

The index highlights the cultural factors that motivate potential teaching candidates to pursue the job.