Gerhard Vetter

1. Gerhard Vetter Director of the board of teacher examiners at the Technical University of Darmstadt, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Education/Culture of the State of Hesse Teacher Training in Hesse – The RoleoftheExamination Division (firstphaseofteachereducation) § §

3. First phase education for Grammar-School-Teachers (Hesse) Principles: • The five universities in the State of Hesse are responsible for qualifying academically trained students in two subjects as well as in didactics, pedagogics, psychology and social sciences. – All affairs concerning teacher training at universities are coordinates by the Centres for Teacher Education. Each university has creates such an institution, which manages the making of study programms for the different subjects, initiates evaluation processes and cooperates with the examination division of the State of Hesse. – Mr. Bendig ist the secretary of the Centre of Teacher Education at the technical university at Darmstadt. (2) Concerning teacher education affairs , all universities have to observe special laws made by the state parliament and special orders by the government of the State of Hesse. (3) Teacher training at Hessian universities ends with the First State Examination, organized and controlled by the Examination Division, acting in behalf of the Ministry of Education/Culture. At each Hessian university, the Examination Division is called „Prüfungsstelle“. Only the director of such a „Prüfungsstelle“ is competent to seal the certificate of the First State Exam.

4. The Federal Republic of Germany is comprised of 16 states. All federal states have their own state parliament, their own state government, their own school system, and their own teacher training system.

7. Responsibilities of the Examination Division (First Phase) • Approvalofacademicachievementsverifiedbyother German universities. • Counsellingstudents: • - preparingforthe First State Exam, • - intendigtoget a degreefor a furthersubjecttaughtatgrammarschools • (3) Givingcounseltoteacherswithacademicdegreesof EU-countries or countries outside the EU whowanttoteachat German schools. • (4) Givingpermissiontotakepart in thecampaignsof First State Exam in spring orautumn. • (5) Organizationofthe First State Exams. • (6) Quality managementoftheexaminers, acting on behalf ofthe„Prüfungsstelle“. • (7) Making final decisions in casesofdisagreementconcerning individual marksoftheteacherexaminers. • (8) Sealingthecertificatesofthe First State Exam.

8. Giving counsel to a student, having applied for the First State Exam

9. Report on State Exam Activities of the five „Prüfungsstellen“ in the State of Hesse Each Year, there are 2 periods of First State Exams: spring and autumn At the five „Prüfungsstellen“ 3000 First State Exams were executed in 2007. This number of State Exams includes 20.000 individual examinations, works written under supervision as well as oral examinations. Just now in spring 2012, the „Prüfungsstellen“ execute the following number of First State Exams for examinees, intendig so become teachers at grammar-schools: „Prüfungsstelle Marburg“: 250 ; „Prüfungsstelle Gießen“: 200 „Prüfungsstelle Frankfurt“: 210 ; „Prüfungsstelle Kassel“: 150 „Prüfungsstelle Darmstadt“: 55 That means 865 examinees in total.

10. The structure of the First State Exam, according to the Law on Teacher Education of the State of Hesse (HLbG: Hessisches Lehrerbildungsgesetz) A) First subject: 1 work written under supervision (4 hours) B) Second subject: 1 oral examination (1 hour) C) Pedagogics, psychology and social sciences (called „Grundwissenschaften“ meaning basic sciences): 1 work written under supervision (4 hours) 1 oral examination (30 minutes) D) Thesis to verify own research concerning facts of A), B) or C). These theses have to be completed before students take part in the examinations in A), B) and C). E) Results of 4 modular examinations respectively in the first subject, the second subject and the basic sciences. These modular examinations are executed during the course of the studies. All achievements of thsee examinations A) to E) are expressed in points from 05 to 15. 15 points mean an excellent result, 05 points mean a poor result. Less than 05 points means failed. The aggregate mark is expressed as a number between 1,0 and 4,0. Number 1,0 means excellent, number 4,0 means poor (nearly failed).

11. Exam subjects at the „Prüfungsstelle Darmstadt“ during the period of State Exams in spring 2010 Exam subjects for grammar schools Subject: sports mathematics history biology German philosophy/ethics politics chemistry physics computer science (English) total

12. Exam nerves ?

13. Never fear! The service team of the „Prüfungsstelle“ is there to help students by encouragement and transparent counseling in all examination affairs!

14. With the certificate of the First State Examination students can apply for the Second Phase of Teacher Training, organised by the State Teacher Education Institutes „Studienseminare“

15. Graduates at the „Prüfungsstelle Darmstadt“ in autumn 2009 (Grammar-school and vocational-school teachers)

16. Thank you for your attention!