The authors begin by reviewing the three accepted notions of crisis (imbalance; resistance to modernity; and exacerbation of social contradictions, Charlot (1987)). The authors then analyze the four forces of change at work : the current orientation of educational policies ; the transformation of the role of the State ; the evolution towards a market-based thinking ; and new technologies of information and communication. From this, they determine three possible scenarios : 1) nostalgic restoration of the canonical model and its inequalities ; 2) complete take-over by entrepreneurs in high-tech fields ; and 3) proceeding cautiously but openly in teaching and professional organisations. They conclude that it is difficult to determine all the consequences for the teaching profession of these evolutionary trends, since the changes occurring are multi-dimensional in their implications.