Challenges and Possibilities for Global Teacher Empowerment

Empowering teachers might seem like a lofty, and perhaps unattainable goal. There are many different challenges that seek to prevent this occurring. This chapter outlines forces that disempower teachers and those factors that are working against an empowered profession for teachers. The nature of neoliberalism and its history is described and the manner in which these ideas impact recruitment and retention of teachers are analysed. Those groups and organisations working to safe-guard conditions and promote teacher excellence are presented and ways that they can be leveraged to empower teachers are discussed. Emerging approaches that promote teacher excellence through role flexibility and leadership development are proposed as possible ways towards empowerment. Finally, possible avenues to pursue solutions to empowering teachers are proposed.