3. Mathematics teachers in Germany


3.1 The social status of the teacher

The mathematics teacher in Germany enjoys a rather high social status, which is

3.2 Working conditions of the teacher

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).

3.3 The University education of the teachers

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

Studies in mathematics

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

Studies in educational and social sciences

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


Studies in didactics of mathematics

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

Studies of the second subject

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.


3.4 In-service education of teachers

The second phase of teacher preparation

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

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).


Christine Keitel-Kreidt
e-mail: keitel@zedat.fu-berlin.de



History of teacher education in Germany
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