Education - Experts: Shortened training for teachers
It is one of the most urgent issues in the German education system: the shortage of teachers. The Standing Scientific Commission (Ständige Wissenschaftliche Kommission - SWK) is now providing politicians with a catalog of recommendations, which was presented in conjunction with a scientific report for the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz - KMK) in Berlin on Friday.
According to the summary of the report, universities have taken a number of measures in recent years to inform students and ensure their success. However, demand is still low and there are high attrition rates - especially in subjects with shortages. According to the KMK, these include mathematics, chemistry, physics, music and art in particular.
Reliable data needed
In the report, the experts criticize the lack of precise data on the number of first-year students, as well as on study and training courses. Subject-specific forecasts are also only available in isolated cases. This is important for universities to be able to counteract dropouts, said Olaf Köller, Co-Chair of the SWK and Managing Director of the IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education.
The paper now recommends eleven measures, for example a nationwide advertising campaign on entry routes into the teaching profession. In addition, data on first-year students should be reliably collected, as well as figures on drop-outs due to age and other reasons. The experts also suggest opening up a second route into the teaching profession with a new degree course alongside the traditional teacher training course. The traineeship could also be shortened by better combining study and practice.
Quality standards called for
Katharina Günther-Wünsch, President of the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs and Senator for Education in Berlin, warned that quality standards should not be lowered. A look at the reality of schools makes it clear that teaching has long since ceased to be possible without lateral entrants, said Günther-Wünsch. There is a not inconsiderable proportion of students who teach at schools during their Bachelor's degree - so far largely without supervision, mentoring or qualification. Shortened training courses for single-subject teachers or dual courses of study should be discussed.
The shortage of teachers is currently one of the most pressing issues in education policy. In January, the commission based at the KMK, which regularly issues recommendations for education policy, painted a bleak picture: Schools in Germany still face a very long lean period when it comes to staffing, it said in a statement. The shortage threatens the provision of teaching and impairs the quality of teaching.
Slipping down the Pisa scale
The debate is also taking place in the shadow of Pisa: just this week, the Pisa study showed how much German young people have slipped in their performance. In reading, mathematics and science, the 15/16-year-olds from Germany achieved the weakest performance values ever measured for Germany within the framework of Pisa. The study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which was published on Tuesday, compares performance in industrialized countries.
Many schools are suffering from an acute shortage of teachers, while at the same time the performance of pupils is worrying, said Felicitas Thiel, Co-Chair of the SWK and Professor of School Pedagogy and School Development Research at Freie Universität. "We know from international studies that teachers' skills are crucial for pupils' learning success." For this reason, the requirements of the profession should not be lowered.
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- The shortage of teachers in physics, music, and art is a significant concern in the German education system, as highlighted in the report presented at the conference of education ministers in Berlin.
- Despite efforts by universities to attract students and improve success rates, there continues to be a lack of interest in teaching subjects like physics in Germany, contributing to the teacher shortage.
- In an attempt to combat this issue, the report proposes several measures, including a nationwide campaign to promote teaching as a profession and shortening the traineeship by better combining study and practice for single-subject teachers.
- The Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, led by Katharina Günther-Wünsch, emphasizes the need to maintain quality standards in the education system, even as efforts are made to address the teacher shortage.
- The teacher shortage is causing issues in Pisa-rated schools across Germany, where a lack of teachers is impacting the quality of education and causing concern among education experts.
- As Germany grapples with the teacher shortage, countries like Italy, which is famous for its Leaning Tower of Pisa, may be able to offer insights and solutions, given their own experiences with educating and retaining teachers.
Source: www.stern.de
