Many studies of teacher motivation have been conducted in different contexts over time. However, until fairly recently there has not been a reliable measure available to allow comparisons across samples and settings. This has resulted in an abundance of findings which cannot be directly compared or synthesised. The FIT-Choice instrument offers the opportunity to examine motivations across settings. The various studies in this book suggest that people who choose teaching as a career are motivated by a complex interaction of factors embedded within communities and cultural expectations, but seem generally to embrace a desire to undertake meaningful work that makes for a better society. Unlike some careers, where rewards are in the form of salary and status, by and large these factors are not strong drivers for people who want to become teachers. They want to work with children and adolescents, and believe they have the ability to teach. Highlights include: (1) Presents international perspectives on teacher motivation; (2) Will appeal to policy makers and leaders of teacher education; and (3) Provides useful information for teacher educators involved with three phases of teacher education. Contents include: (1) Why Teach? How Teachers' Motivations Matter around the World (Helen M. G. Watt, Paul W. Richardson and Kari Smith); (2) Career Motivations of Student Teachers in the Republic of Ireland: Continuity and Change During Educational Reform and 'Boom to Bust' Economic Times (Manuela Heinz, Elaine Keane and Conor Foley); (3) Why Teach? Antecedents and Consequences in Spain (Gloria Gratacós, Ernesto López-Gómez, Guiomar Nocito and Santiago Sastre); (4) Factors Motivating Students to Become Secondary School Teachers: Evidence from Norway (Christian Brandmo and Katrine Nesje); (5) The Motivational Basis of Classroom Management Practices and Beliefs of Swiss Vocational Teachers (Jean-Louis Berger, Céline Girardet, Cynthia Vaudroz and Carmela Aprea); (6) Motivations that Affect Professional Knowledge in Germany and Austria (Johannes König and Martin Rothland); (7) Motivations and Perceptions about Teaching during the First Year of Teacher Education in Estonia (Merle Taimalu, Piret Luik and Karin Täht); (8) How Personality Dimensions and Motivation to Teach Shape the Learning Achievement Goals of Croatian Future Teachers (Iris Marušic, Ivana Jugovic and Tea Pavin Ivanec); (9) Exploring the Relationships between Prospective Turkish Teachers' Hopes, Motivations and Professional Plans (Altay Eren and Amanda Yesilbursa); (10) Motivations and Aspirations of Teacher Education Students in Indonesia (Anne Suryani); (11) Teacher Motivation and Professional Commitment in the United States: The Role of Motivations for Teaching, Teacher Self-Efficacy and Sense of Professional Responsibility (Fani Lauermann, Stuart A. Karabenick, Robert Carpenter and Colleen Kuusinen); (12) Divided by Discipline? Contrasting Motivations, Perceptions, and Background Characteristics of Beginning Australian English and Mathematics Teachers (Helen M. G. Watt, Paul W. Richardson and Zoe A. Morris); and (13) Why Choose Teaching and Does It Matter? (Ruth Butler).