Purpose can be seen as a key promoter in both professional growth and resilience for teachers. As a result, in many countries around the world, the purpose of education and the role of schools as supports for purpose development are growing as important topics of scientific research and educational debate. A conceptual shift is occurring in several countries: the purpose of education is becoming an education for purpose. In this book, researchers around the world examine what a shift toward an education for purpose looks like across several cultures. Teachers around the world should be explicitly educated for competencies that make purposeful and purpose-oriented teaching possible. The goal of teacher education is to educate teachers not only to teach knowledge content, but also to reflect on the purposefulness of their teaching: Why do their lessons and activities matter? What immediate impact and long-term effects do their teaching efforts have on the pupils as well as the communities in which pupils interact?

This chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Education for Teaching.