The transformation of the teachers' role at the end of the twentieth century: new challenges for the future

The purpose of this paper is to offer a view of social, political and econo mic changes transforming the meaning and the orientation of the work of tea chers in education. Rapid and profound social change has deeply affected ou r present-day teaching institutions. When our societies have been so profou ndly changed we remodel our teaching systems and programs of teachers' trai ning, but the educational reforms were formulated in a new time marked by d isenchantment. The change from a system designed to educate an elite to one of mass education not only increased the numbers of teachers and pupils, i t also brought perplexing problems related to quality. How to achieve high standards of education in these circumstances is a personal and social chal lenge that needs much creative thought and determination from teachers. Tea ching today is much more difficult than 20 years ago, and presents teachers with new challenges for the future.