This groundbreaking work examines teacher quality, work norms, and professional learning opportunities, using data from 15 countries. The authors compare and contrast the United States with two high-achieving countries--Japan and Australia--that have implemented very different approaches to improving teacher quality. Drawing on both large international data sets and ethnographic and small-scale studies, the book addresses critical questions: (2) How do teacher quality and teacher recruitment and hiring policies in the United States differ from those in other countries?; (2) How do the working conditions of U.S. teachers differ from those of teachers in other countries?; (3) How do U.S. teachers' opportunities for professional learning differ from those of teachers in other countries?; (4) How do the characteristics of the national teaching force influence student achievement?; and (5) What U.S. policies offer promise for improving teacher quality?