The ancient Greeks, whose respect for learning is evident in their art, politics, and philosophy, saw the value in educating children (see Greece: Ancient Greece). Wealthy Greeks added teachers to their households, often slaves from conquered states. At the height of the Roman Empire, during the first five centuries AD, Roman citizens also followed the practice of having teacher-slaves, usually Greeks. The English word pedagogue, a synonym for teacher, comes directly from the Greek word for slave.

By the Middle Ages in Europe (5th century to 15th century), the Roman Catholic Church had taken over the responsibility for teaching, which was conducted in monasteries and specially designated learning centers. Many of these learning centers evolved gradually into major universities, such as the Universities of Paris in France, and the University of Bologna, in Italy. In the 17th and 18th centuries, interest in the education of children intensified among Europeans, and knowledge about teaching methods increased. French cleric and educator Saint John Baptist de la Salle, and later Swiss education reformer Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, founded model schools for young people. They also made significant advances in education by training other teachers in their educational theories and methods (see Teacher Training).

In North America a commitment to education played an important part in colonial development of the continent. The colony of Massachusetts passed a law in 1647 requiring towns with 50 or more families to establish an elementary school and those with 100 or more families to establish Latin grammar schools for secondary-level education (see Grammar School: Latin Grammar School). Colonists in North America also valued the role of higher education. Harvard College (later renamed Harvard University) was founded in Massachusetts in 1636, and the College of William and Mary was established in Virginia in 1693. Some of the most prominent early Americans, particularly Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin, argued strongly for a national education system. They considered education not only a means of harnessing talent in the nation, but also a means of teaching people the demands of democratic citizenship. Not until the 20th century, however, did teachers in the United States begin to enjoy professional status.

The 1996 report of the Department of Education’s National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future presented a clear program for change in teacher education. This report cited several barriers to improving teaching in the United States, such as inadequate teacher education programs; poor teacher recruitment efforts, particularly in such subjects as mathematics and science; poor administrative practices that typically saddle new teachers with the most challenging and demanding tasks; and lack of rewards for teachers who demonstrate outstanding skills and performance. To overcome these problems, the commission challenged the nation to accomplish six goals by the year 2006: (1) for all children to be taught by teachers who have the knowledge, skills, and commitment to teach children well; (2) for all teacher education programs to meet national professional standards, or else be closed; (3) for all teachers to have access to high-quality professional development; (4) for teachers and principals to be hired and retained based on their ability to meet professional standards of practice; (5) for teachers’ salaries to be based on their knowledge and skills; and (6) for high-quality teaching to be the central investment of schools, with most education funding directed toward classroom instruction.

To achieve these goals, the commission made specific recommendations. For example, it recommended that funding be made available to expand the work of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Founded in the late 1980s, the NBPTS specifies levels of competency and expertise for teachers. Experienced teachers can become certified by the NBPTS only after passing a screening based on both their knowledge of academic subjects and their performance with children. This certification has afforded teachers recognition as professionals and, in many cases, has enabled them to command higher salaries. It also has helped to establish national standards for quality teaching.

In 1997 public and private schools in the United States had 52.4 million students and about 3 million teachers. Experts estimate that the number of students attending American schools will increase to 55 million by 2006 and that to serve this increase adequately will require 3.4 million teachers. Experts also project a massive number of retirements within the nation’s teaching force in the early 21st century, creating a need for an unusually large number of new teachers.

Teaching traditionally has been one of the lowest-paying jobs available to college graduates. The starting salaries of public school teachers in the 1995-1996 school year averaged $24,507. The average salary of all primary and secondary school teachers was $37,643. Salaries varied widely from one school district to another and from state to state. For example, Connecticut teachers received an average salary of $50,938, while the average salary for teachers in South Dakota was just more than half of that, $26,369.

As more and more countries recognize connections between stable government, economic growth, and effective schooling, they are making education more of a national priority. Many nations model their education systems on American schools. Thousands of educators throughout Europe and many developing countries come to the United States to train as teachers and to study the American education system. Teaching, like the field of medicine, has become an international activity with practical and theoretical knowledge freely exchanged across borders.