Abstract
Sustaining teaching as a respected and attractive profession is more critical than ever, particularly as teachers’ work becomes increasingly shaped by standardisation and accountability—conditions that have shown minimal positive impact while eroding the professional agency essential to job satisfaction. Drawing on a 15-year programme of research on the impact of an approach to professional development, known as Quality Teaching Rounds, including five randomised controlled trials and independent evaluations, this article examines how teaching can be made more appealing. QTR combines a research-based pedagogical framework, the Quality Teaching Model, with structured, collegial processes for observing, coding, and discussing lessons building on research on effective professional development. We identify four principles that underpin its potential in making teaching more attractive: recognising the realities of classroom life; providing clarity about what constitutes quality teaching; treating teaching as intellectual work; and showing respect for teachers. Together, these principles strengthen teachers’ professional identities and job satisfaction, positioning teaching as complex, intellectually demanding, and socially vital work. We argue that improving the appeal of teaching requires attention not only to remuneration and working conditions but also to how pedagogy and professional development are conceptualised. The evidence presented here, showing the impact of QTR on teaching quality, teacher morale, self-efficacy, and student attainment, offers fresh insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to address workforce challenges and elevate the status of teaching, with implications for recruitment, retention, and teacher well-being across diverse educational contexts.