Teacher Beliefs and Values Under the Microscope

AbstractThis paper is an account of teacher beliefs and values that shape their responses to classroom events. Their beliefs about the nature of teaching and learning are also shaped by cultural traditions. Differences in values also account for the differences in interpreting and making sense of policy requirements. These beliefs and values are dialectical rather than unilateral, in the sense that practice does not always follow directly from beliefs. This paper addresses the question of how teacher beliefs and values influence their classroom practice and teaching decisions in the context of a country steeped in cultural traditions