Brazilian teachers lose 21% of class time maintaining discipline
In Brazil, teachers lose an average of 21 percent of class time maintaining order in the classroom – in other words, for every five hours of class, one hour is lost trying to get students’ attention. The data can be found in the 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), released Monday (Oct. 6) by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The study is based on interviews with teachers and principals mainly from the final years of elementary school (6th to 9th grade in Brazil) and compares education in 53 countries.
While in Brazil teachers lose 21 percent of class time to discipline issues, in OECD member countries the average is 15 percent. The study shows there was a two percentage point increase from 2018 to 2024, both in Brazil and among OECD countries.
According to the survey, almost half of Brazilian teachers (44%) report they are frequently interrupted by students. This is more than double the OECD average of 18 percent.
In terms of daily stress, Brazilian teachers’ reports are similar to those of teachers in OECD countries – 21 percent say their work is very stressful, while the OECD average is 19 percent. The index surged seven percentage points compared to 2018 in Brazil.
In terms of impacts on mental and physical health, Brazil exceeds the average of the other countries surveyed. Among Brazilian teachers, 16 percent say that teaching has a negative impact on their mental health, while among OECD countries the average stands at 10 percent. Physical health is greatly impacted by the profession according to 12 percent of Brazilian teachers, while the OECD average is eight percent.
Appreciation
The study highlights that teacher appreciation is important for retaining good professionals in the career. In Brazil, however, only 14 percent believe that teachers are valued in society. This percentage increased by three percentage points compared to 2018, but remains below the OECD average of 22 percent.
The same percentage (14%) believe that teachers are valued in the country's public policies, up eight percentage points from the last study. The OECD average is 16 percent.
Despite the scenario, most Brazilian teachers (87%) say they are generally satisfied with their work – the same level recorded in 2018. The index is close to the OECD average of 89 percent. Furthermore, for more than half (58%), being a teacher was their first career choice – a percentage similar to the OECD and the same as in 2018.
This is the fourth edition of TALIS, which was conducted in Brazil from June to July 2024. The studies on the Brazilian reality were conducted by the Anísio Teixeira National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (INEP), with the collaboration of the education departments of all 27 states.
