EU perspectives on Teacher

Education

2

History Subsidiarity – Treaty Article 149 EU action restricted to Socrates and Lingua

programmes until 2000 Lisbon European Council Open Method of Coordination – work on teacher

education since 2002, leading to

– Expert Document: Common European Principles for teacher competences and qualifications 2005

– Commission Communications: Improving the Quality of Teacher Education 2007 An Agenda for European Cooperation on Schools 2008

– Council Conclusions, EP Report, CoR, EESC Opinions

EU perspectives on Teacher Education

Common European principles for teacher competences and qualifications 2005

4

The teaching profession should be:

A well–qualified profession

A profession based on lifelong learning

A mobile profession

A profession based on partnerships

Common European principles for teacher competences and qualifications

Improving the Quality of Teacher EducationA European Commission Communication 2007

6

Teaching work force - age

mauve - all Professionals

red - teaching Professionals

Current situation

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Current situation

Proportion of Women Teachers 2001 / 02

85

64

54

15

36

46

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

1

2

3

ISC

ED

%

8

New teachers

• in some Member States, many new teachers

leave the profession

• but new teachers receive systematic support

(induction) in only half of Europe

(BG, CZ, DE, EL, ES, IE, IT, CY, PL, SK, UK; IS, LI,

NO)

Current situation

9

In-service training / CPD

• compulsory in (only) 11 Member States

(AT, BE, D, EE, FI, HU, LT, LV, RO, MT, UK)

• generally less than 20 hours; max: 5 days per

year

• (content of training?)

• (participation rates?)

Current situation

10

Current situation

Compulsory in-service training 2002 / 03

red = compulsory

11

Many countries report:

• shortfalls in teaching skills

• difficulties in updating teachers’ skills

Often:

• no overall coordination of T Ed. provision

• no link to school development and improvement

• no link to educational research

Current situation

12

• provision is coordinated, coherent, adequately

resourced, responsive and quality assured

• increase level of qualification for entry

• knowledge and pedagogic skills

• teachers as lifelong learners

• culture of reflective practice and research

• professionalisation, status and recognition

Summary

Aims:

Improving Competences for the 21st century: An Agenda for European Cooperation on SchoolsEuropean Commission Communication 2008

14

Three parts:

Focus on Competences

High quality education for every student

Teachers and school staff

15

Key Proposals for Cooperation implement Council Conclusions on quality of T Ed.

make T Ed. coherent, adequately resourced, quality

assured

improve supply, quality and take-up of in-service T Ed.

attract most able candidates, select best applicants, place

good teachers in challenging schools

improve school leader recruitment, let them focus on

improving learning

Teachers and school staff

Implementing the agenda for action

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• Nat. experts produce

policy conclusions / recommendations

Peer Learning

through the Open Method of Coordination

• ‘Cluster’ meetings of national experts organise• Peer Learning Activities to share good practice /

map’ current situation in EU

feed advice into national policy making

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Have examined policies on:

• Continuous Professional Development of teachers

• Schools as learning communities for teachers as well as

pupils

• Preparing teachers for culturally diverse settings

• Partnerships between vocational schools and companies

• Relationships between schools and teacher education

institutions

• Induction of new teachers …

• School Leadership

Peer Learning Activities 2005 - 2008

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Comenius Programme

• In-Service Training grants – 8,800 per year

• Assistantships – 1,200 per year

• School Partnerships – 50,000 school staff

participate

• Comenius-Regio Partnerships – new in 2009,

introduced by EP – estimated 500 regions

20

other activities

• more and better Data required (OECD TALIS

2009)

• Study of TE curricula being prepared by Jyväskylä

University

• work with Stakeholders / Associations (ENTEP,

ATEE, TEPE …)

• Member State’s reforms …