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Teacher Beliefs: Why They Matter and What They Are
[Instructional Time Loss in Developing Countries: Concepts, Measurement, and Implications]

Author

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  • Shwetlena Sabarwal
  • Malek Abu-Jawdeh
  • Radhika Kapoor

Abstract

Teacher effectiveness is low in many developing countries. How can it be improved? We show that understanding teacher beliefs may be an important but overlooked part of the puzzle. Our review of recent evidence shows that teacher beliefs can impact student outcomes directly; they can also mediate policy implementation. Despite this, we find that teacher beliefs are seldom accounted for or even measured in impact evaluations of teacher-focused programs. Most of these programs ultimately fail to change teacher behavior. Next, using survey data from 20,000 teachers across nine developing countries, we discuss teacher beliefs about their role, their effort, and their students’ learning. We uncover four insights. First, teachers exhibit fixed mindsets on the learning potential of disadvantaged students. For instance, nearly 43 percent of teachers believe that “there is little they can do to help a student learn” if parents are uneducated. Second, in most countries, more teachers believe that students deserve additional attention if they are performing well than if they are lagging behind. This suggests that teachers may be reinforcing rather than compensating for baseline gaps in student levels. Third, there is some normalization of absenteeism—nearly one in four teachers believe it is acceptable to be absent if students are left with work to do. Finally, teacher support for pay-for-performance varies widely across countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Shwetlena Sabarwal & Malek Abu-Jawdeh & Radhika Kapoor, 2022. "Teacher Beliefs: Why They Matter and What They Are [Instructional Time Loss in Developing Countries: Concepts, Measurement, and Implications]," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 37(1), pages 73-106.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbrobs:v:37:y:2022:i:1:p:73-106.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wbro/lkab008
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    Cited by:

    1. Ana Torres Soto & María Luisa García Hernández & Mónica Vallejo, 2022. "Society and Its Challenges: The Teacher’s Perspective on Students at Risk," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, November.
    2. Mugume, Regean & Bulime, Enock.N.W., 2024. "Does institutional quality matter for primary school retention? Lessons from Uganda," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).

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