The mathematics teacher in Germany enjoys a rather high social status, which is
Syllabus
Although she has to pay attention to a state-determined syllabus,
these syllabi are a mixture of prescriptions (of certain topics) and recommendations
(of methodological approaches, hours for themes, etc.) and function mainly
as a guideline for teaching
.
Textbook
Commercially produced textbooks have to be closely related to
the syllabi and to concretize and "explain" them. The colleagues
at the school together choose those most appropriate for their pupils from
a selection of textbooks, or use teaching materials produced by the teacher
herself or her colleagues.
Methods
The teacher decides on her teaching style, on how to mark homework
and oral or written classwork, as well as the annual promotion of the pupils,
and - with the exception of a very few states such as Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg,
and Saxony that have central state examinations at the end of schooling
and more state control over the teaching and marking done by their teachers
- is trusted to assess pupils' performance and achievement and to evaluate
her teaching by school- and teacher-based assessment modes only.
Teaching time
The teaching hours are fixed at between about 24 hours a week
(for higher secondary schools of the Gymnasium type) to about 28 (for lower
secondary schools such as Hauptschule and primary schools).
The organizational structure of the education of the future mathematics teacher asks for parallel studies in the field of
during the whole course of studies.
An important part of teacher education are
On the average, university studies for future secondary school teachers in mathematics do not differ from those designed for future mathematicians, and are often completely determined by the perspective of the mathematicians. Up to nine tenths of the obligatory study time (45-72 SWS, or semester hours) are devoted to studies in mathematics.
Primary teachers, if taught separately, get a more specific mathematics
education restricted to "selected topics from arithmetic, algebra,
geometry, magnitudes, and social arithmetic" , and more courses in
didactics of mathematics and educational studies.
See:
Contents of studies
This field of studies is described only generally and quite differently
concretized at each university, and the number of SWS varies considerably
(from about 20 to 32 SWS).
The same courses, seminars, and lectures are usually offered to teachers
in all subjects by the departments of education.
See:
Contents of studies
The teaching of didactics of mathematics (mathematics education)
is by no means included in each study program for teachers or generally
required in the examination. In a few states no didactics of mathematics
at all is obligatory, and in others future mathematics teachers have the
privilege of up to 16 SWS in didactics of mathematics.
See:
Contents of studies
It should be noted that most future teachers for secondary schools -
and nearly all for the senior secondary schools - have to take studies
in another subject to nearly the same extent and with a similar organization
as in mathematics. The subject can be chosen from a variety of school subjects
.
Practical periods during academic studies
An important and integral part of teacher education are several periods during the course of studies devoted to practical work and teaching in schools.
A prominent characteristic of the German teacher education system is the second or practical phase after the first state examination that was established for all teachers.
As teacher candidates (Referendar), they have to teach in a school for 2 years with a reduced number of obligatory hours, are already employed by the state with a reduced salary, and have to attend three weekly seminars run by experienced teachers as trainers (Seminarleiter and Fachleiter):
Experienced mathematics teachers assure a canonical understanding of what mathematics teaching means by generalizing successful practice and creating theories of that practice. They strongly influence the practical habits of the novice mathematics teachers and their perception of the ideal and "true" transmission of mathematical concepts by setting up standards of teaching, or more concretely: model lessons.
Teacher in-service training is offered in a variety of organizations
and institutions, but it represents not a real complement but rather an
annex or supplement to teacher education. Teachers are invited,
but by no means generally forced, to attend in- service training: The credits
gained improve neither their social career nor their salary.
In-service training is offered
and is mostly free of charge. Teachers who wish to attend courses for
in-service or further training are freed from school teaching for that
time (intensive courses or seminars) or have to use their leisure time.
Special institutions for a "permanent reform" combined in-service
offerings with curriculum planning and development, partly on the level
of school administration, supervision, and consultation (e.g., Pädagogisches
Zentrum in Berlin, Pädagogisches Landesinstitut Brandenburg
PLIB in Potsdam, Landesinstitut für Schule und Weiterbildung in
Soest, and Hessisches Institut für Bildungsplanung und Schulentwicklung
in Wiesbaden).