Reform of Teacher Induction in Germany

1. Reform of Teacher Induction in Germany Hermann J. Abs Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen www.uni-giessen.de/cms/abs

2. Concept: TeacherInduction • Definition: Planed learning environment in schools for the development and assessment of professional teacher competences after the completion of academic studies • Core Elements of teacher induction: • Reduced amount of teaching hours for Beginning Teachers • Fixed time structure for the transfer of more and more duties and teaching hours • Mentoring, feedback by experienced teachers • Instruction together with other Beginning Teachers (BTs) • Assessment by state institutes for teacher induction

3. Responsibilities in teacherinduction Institutes for Teacher Induction Schools • Teacher Trainers: • Lecture group of BTs on subject specific teaching or psychology • Prepare visitations of BTs’ class • Assess lessons and papers of BTs • Cooperate with mentor teachers • Mentor Teachers: • Provide exemplary lessons • Counselling of BTs on schooling and teaching • Support the school principal in the assessment of BTs • cooperate with teacher trainers Beginning Teachers (BTs): • Educating, instructing, assessing and grading students • Teacher-parent conferences • Participating in the school‘s development • Integrate didactical knowledge with practical experience • Reflect on instruction and personal role as a teacher, • Prepare class/lesson visitations

4. Reform of Teacher Induction • Causes for Reforms • Changes in the Preconditions and Qualifications of Beginning Teachers • Changes in the Objectives of Schooling • Changes of Resource Allocation • Technical Progress • Current Approaches to Reform in German Länder • New duration of teacher induction • Modularisation of former more comprehensive, long-term courses • New tasks for state institutes in university education • Organisational development for state institutes

5. Example: Teacher Induction in the Land of Hesse • 30 State Institutes for Teacher Induction • each cooperating with up to 100 schools • each specialised on certain tracks/ school types • ca. 2500 Beginning Teachers per year • 1. Reform 2006: Modularisation • 2. Reform 2012: duration cut form 24 to 21 month • Official regulations • Standards for Teacher Education by the Conference of Ministers of Cultural Affairs of the German Länder(2004 & 2008) • Hessian Law on Teacher Education & respective by-law (2011) • 2006 & 2008 Scientific evaluation of the complete cohort of beginning teachers and staff from state institutes

6. Status ofreform: Duration ofteacherinduction in Germany 2013

7. Development of Teacher Self Efficacy: Study of Hoy & Spero 2005 teacherefficacy * ** end ofprogram after oneyear oneyearafter end ofprogram startofteacherinduction Open Question • Is the levelling out or even decrease of Teacher Self Efficacy after one year due to • finishing the teacher induction before professional competences are stable enough? • job frustration that comes with professional teaching anyway, if done for more a year?

8. Result from Evaluation Study 2006 & 2008:Significant increase in Self-Efficacy over time

9. Reform in Hesse: Modularised Teacher Induction Programme

10. Modul IV: Diagnosing, Supporting, Assessing Competence: BTs diagnose preconditions and processes of learning, support students, assess them in a transparent and responsible manner and advise pupils and parents. Standards: BTs... • ...measure current learning progress of the learners and comprehend general framework for instruction. • ...diagnose individual learning progress, learning potential and learning obstacles • ...support and foster according to individual learner‘s needs. • ...measure, assess and evaluate student achievement based on transparent assessment- and evaluation and point out prospects for further learning.

11. Exemplary content in the area of diagnosing… • Recognising students‘ misconceptions and using them as a starting point for teaching • Application of attribution theory on the causes of success and failure • Knowledge of typical forms of bias in assessing students • Application of the three frames of reference in grading • Distinction of formative and summative assessment and its consequences • Using feedback from central assessment for the adaptive planning of teaching units

12. Instructional approach to diagnosing in Module IV: Working with an exemplary case • First subdomains are focused, which will be prepared theoretically • Then Method 1: Video analysis, evaluation of lesson observations • BTs document a learning process including the elements diagnosing, fostering and assessing. • Or Method 2: Portfolio assessment: • BTs decide a point in time at which they show part of their practical work: Planning, and reflection of a stimulating learning arrangement for the class or one individualised learning arrangement for a particular pupil.

13. How are BTs themselves assessed? - Composition of final grade - Acquired qualifications during induction programme 60% Second state examination 40% Module II 5% Module I 5% Term paper 10% Demonstration lesson I 15% Module III 5%yy Module IV 5% Demonstration lesson II 15% Module VI 5% Headmaster report 10% Module V 5% Oral exam 10% Module VIII 5% Module VII 5%

14. Current Challenges of Teacher Induction in Germany • Professional Development for Teacher Mentors and Trainers • Resources for mentoring • Analysis and Assessment of instruction • Continuity of teacher trainer support vs. objectivity of assessment • Link between academic teacher education at university and teacher induction at state institutes • Consequences of the Bologna-Reform

15. Annex

16. Assessmentwithintheinductionprogramme • 8 assessed modules: • 4 modules in the competence field of instruction (subject specific) • 2 school track specific modules • 1 module „Educating, advising, coaching“ • 1 module „Diagnosing, fostering, assessing“ • Assessment of modules: 2 lesson visitations per module • Assessed Term paper with pedagogical focus • Assessment by headmaster of school in form of report • Second State Examination (oral exam, 2 demonstration lessons)

17. Simplifiedoverviewofteachereducationfor all newlyqualifiedteachers in thestateof Hesse Duration ofInduction Programm: 21 Months Observation Instruction on NQTs ownresponsibility + observationofinstruction 1stadvanced Phase 4 assessed Modules 2ndadvanced Phase 3 assessed Modules Exam Phase 1 assessed Module Induction Phase no assessment Start of schoolterm Feb.1st/ Aug.1st Start of examinationdates May1st/ Nov.1st Start of schoolterm Feb.1st/ Aug.1st Start of schoolterm Feb.1st/ Aug.1st Start ofInduction Programm: Nov.1st/ May 1st

18. Inductionprogramme in Hesse: keyelements • Organisation… • in 8 assessedmodulesand additional trainingcourses (mainlyduringfirst 3 months) • over 3,5 semesters (21 months) • Modules… • havefixedworkload • rely on bindingmoduledescriptions • Assessment beginns after inductionphase (first 3 months) • Observingandteaching • BTs teach on theirownresponsibility

19. Aimsoftheinductionprogramme in Hesse • The Induction Programme is to qualifynewlyqualifiedteachers (NQTs) • to instruct • to educate, adviseandcoach • to diagnose, fosterandassess studentsofvaryingabilitiesand diverse socialandculturalbackgroundaswellas • participate in thedevelopmentoftheschool • Abilitiesandqualificationobtainedduringthefirstphaseofteachereducationareinterlockedwithpracticalapplication in theclassroom • manifest teachercompetences* in teacheractions *specifiedbytheteachereducationlawof Hesse (HLBG)

20. Duration ofteacherinduction in Germany variesbetween 12 and 24 months

21. Opportunities to Learn:Instruction (Modules I,II,V,VI )