Goals, Ways, Results

of In-service Professional Training in the Czech Republic

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Legacy of the past – Legacy of the past – the situation before 1989the situation before 1989

Sixteen years of reformsSixteen years of reforms

Hopes and efforts – Hopes and efforts –

the strategies and their actorsthe strategies and their actors

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Two hundred years of a state-run school Two hundred years of a state-run school systemsystem

The teacher is a state employee and serves the Government

All children must attend school, no matter how good it is

To remember a lot is a sign of the competence to lead people or to hold an office (army and tax officers)

The duty and the care for education of the young is comitted to the state

Legacy of the past – the situation Legacy of the past – the situation before 1989before 1989

The more apt among the population are readily selected for state service, the slow are identified for blue-collar professions

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The forty years of communism : 1948-1989The forty years of communism : 1948-1989

Loss of social prestige of the teacher job

Growth of antipathy towards school among population

Rise of the amount of information demanded from a student

Backwater in pedagogy and methods of teaching

Legacy of the past – the situation Legacy of the past – the situation before 1989before 1989

Loss of profesional autonomy of the teacher

Narrow scientific and cultural elite produced

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Grassroots improvementGrassroots improvement

Sixteen years of reformsSixteen years of reforms

Great foreign help: G. Soros, WHO, Phillip Morris, British Council

Ministry of Education indolence and fuss

Ministry of Education curricular reform of 2004

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The first wave of unsatisfied teachers seek for The first wave of unsatisfied teachers seek for their peerstheir peers

Individuals invent improvement in class and invite colleagues: The Friends of Engaged Teaching (PAU) national workshops since 1992

Individuals and small groups seek for mutual support to solve their everyday problems, doubts, needs: The Teachers´ Newsletter since 1994

Individual schools travel abroad to see foreign experience.

Grassroots improvement

Individual teachers of English apply ESFL methods.

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G. Soros Open Society programs for democracy and G. Soros Open Society programs for democracy and thinking thinking

Great foreign help: G. Soros, WHO, Phillip Morris, British Council

World Health Organization for healthy schools and healthy learning (Health Promoting Schools)

Phillip Morris funding a socio- and psychotherapeutical project for teachers and students

The British Council trains teachers of English

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Ministry of Education - indolence Ministry of Education - indolence and fuss and fuss „„Our educational system is traditionally very Our educational system is traditionally very

good, the people are satisfied.“good, the people are satisfied.“

The prevailing opinion among decision-makers till 2004: Give The prevailing opinion among decision-makers till 2004: Give schools and teachers strict rules and detailed syllabi. schools and teachers strict rules and detailed syllabi.

In a system of underpaid teachers there is no salary rise dependent on In a system of underpaid teachers there is no salary rise dependent on teacher´s performance or in-service training. teacher´s performance or in-service training.

Before the fall of communism, teachers regularly listened to Before the fall of communism, teachers regularly listened to invited lecturers, discussed problems in subject teams. invited lecturers, discussed problems in subject teams.

The state network of „Paedagogical training centers“ dissolved The state network of „Paedagogical training centers“ dissolved paralell to the start of the curricular reform (2004). paralell to the start of the curricular reform (2004).

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Ministry of Education curricular reform of 2004

The lobby of progressivists vs. the lobby of The lobby of progressivists vs. the lobby of conservativesconservatives

The official White Book of Educational Policy was ignored by the The official White Book of Educational Policy was ignored by the government.government.

The prevailing tendency for „macrosystemic view“ inhibits the efforts to The prevailing tendency for „macrosystemic view“ inhibits the efforts to develop the policy into real strategy exceeding mere law-making.develop the policy into real strategy exceeding mere law-making.

After twelve years of efforts experts were invited to build After twelve years of efforts experts were invited to build the real educational policy - 1998.the real educational policy - 1998.

The conservatives launched national testing uncoordinated with The conservatives launched national testing uncoordinated with the curricular change. the curricular change.

What makes the school start What makes the school start being trained?being trained?

The decision of the teacherThe decision of the teacher The decision of the principalThe decision of the principal

The pressure from „above“ – by the The pressure from „above“ – by the educational office, the founder etc.educational office, the founder etc.

The pressure from „above“ – by the The pressure from „above“ – by the state: curricular reformstate: curricular reform

(Lack of students – customers)(Lack of students – customers)

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Self esteem and professional Self esteem and professional prestige of teachers in serviceprestige of teachers in service

Long lasting lack of autonomy in teaching, Long lasting lack of autonomy in teaching, dependance on the textbookdependance on the textbook

Changes in the subject´s content-matter – new discoveriesChanges in the subject´s content-matter – new discoveries

Change of student behavior, values, way of life Change of student behavior, values, way of life

Cooperation with the familyCooperation with the family

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Individual teachers say that they choose Individual teachers say that they choose trainings because they need: trainings because they need:

to find ways how to assess students more justlyto find ways how to assess students more justly

to manage classroom situations and student misbehaviorto manage classroom situations and student misbehavior

to help the less competent studentsto help the less competent students

Training needs of teachers in Training needs of teachers in serviceservice

to help student with dysfunctionsto help student with dysfunctions

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Schools, usually by decision of the principal, Schools, usually by decision of the principal, choose trainings out of their own willchoose trainings out of their own will

To activate the staff and introduce new strategies for beter To activate the staff and introduce new strategies for beter achievement – achievement – invite a trainer for the whole staffinvite a trainer for the whole staff

To help those teachers in the staff who resist – To help those teachers in the staff who resist – send them send them them to a RWCT or similar coursethem to a RWCT or similar course

To start change in school: to bring in new methods and To start change in school: to bring in new methods and make teaching nearer to students – make teaching nearer to students – a progressive teacher a progressive teacher is sent to a course is sent to a course

To solve a problem or introduce a new approach - To solve a problem or introduce a new approach - the the principal gives a lecture or leads a workshop for her staffprincipal gives a lecture or leads a workshop for her staff

Training needs of schoolsTraining needs of schools

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What kinds of in-service training What kinds of in-service training and where? and where?

Long-time, by teacher-training institutionsLong-time, by teacher-training institutions

Individuals sent to teacher faculties to acquire qualificationIndividuals sent to teacher faculties to acquire qualification

Individuals sent to specific skills courses at teacher faculties or Individuals sent to specific skills courses at teacher faculties or by NGO trainersby NGO trainers

Individuals sent to complex programs by NGOs to improve Individuals sent to complex programs by NGOs to improve methods, e.g.RWCT, SbSmethods, e.g.RWCT, SbS

Long time programs´ trainers from NGOs invited to Long time programs´ trainers from NGOs invited to schoolschool

Curricular reform trainings for school coordinators, by Curricular reform trainings for school coordinators, by state pedag. centers or non-government organizationsstate pedag. centers or non-government organizations

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What kinds of in-service training What kinds of in-service training and where? and where?

Short-time, by individual trainersShort-time, by individual trainers

workshops by peers or by the principal of the same workshops by peers or by the principal of the same schoolschool

discussions or lectures by invited experts (academic discussions or lectures by invited experts (academic researchers, university teachers, popular researchers, university teachers, popular personalities, individual workshop leaders in specific personalities, individual workshop leaders in specific jobs or skillsjobs or skills

sending a teacher to visit a progressive schoolsending a teacher to visit a progressive school

whole staff going to visit a progressive schoolwhole staff going to visit a progressive school

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What obstacles have teachers in What obstacles have teachers in training – and how do we overcome?training – and how do we overcome?

Objective – from outsideObjective – from outside

lack of timelack of time

lack of professional and social demandlack of professional and social demand

lack of family supportlack of family support

traditions observed by the school systemtraditions observed by the school system

lack of moneylack of money

aversion by conservative peers nad superiorsaversion by conservative peers nad superiors

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What obstacles have teachers in What obstacles have teachers in training – and how do we overcome?training – and how do we overcome?

Subjective – from insideSubjective – from inside

lack of inventiveness and couragelack of inventiveness and courage

lack of foreign languages commandlack of foreign languages command

lack of professional group fellowshiplack of professional group fellowship

simple command of mother-tongue skillssimple command of mother-tongue skills

lack of training in abstracting and applicatinglack of training in abstracting and applicating

low self-esteemlow self-esteem

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Where are we now?Where are we now?

The the undecided majority starts to follow the The the undecided majority starts to follow the few ready ones few ready ones

some had to see that „it works“ in the classroomsome had to see that „it works“ in the classroom

others needed the official command and pressureothers needed the official command and pressure

the climate of the time has changed: the tradition is the climate of the time has changed: the tradition is doubteddoubted

decline of new-born babies has reached the school, decline of new-born babies has reached the school, competition among schools growscompetition among schools grows

some feel that they cannot manage the children of some feel that they cannot manage the children of today any longertoday any longer

many change only minor parts of their teachingmany change only minor parts of their teaching

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Where are we heading for?Where are we heading for?

The training of new methods leads to re-writing The training of new methods leads to re-writing the school subjects and the curriculum the school subjects and the curriculum

interactive methods of teaching need better forms of assessmentinteractive methods of teaching need better forms of assessment

the new methods demand new choice of subject goals and contentthe new methods demand new choice of subject goals and content

recent global problems attack the teaching: environment, recent global problems attack the teaching: environment, media, terrorism, consumerismmedia, terrorism, consumerism

new trainers arise among experienced progressive teachersnew trainers arise among experienced progressive teachers

the training in goals-setting and in evaluation demands more the training in goals-setting and in evaluation demands more autonomy of thinkingautonomy of thinking

cross-curricular goals and activites are invented and elaboratedcross-curricular goals and activites are invented and elaborated

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State funding must go to the customer, State funding must go to the customer, not the provider of the servicenot the provider of the service

The quality of the training and the need The quality of the training and the need of it must be decided by the schoolof it must be decided by the school

The pace of educational improvement The pace of educational improvement depends on the informed parents, depends on the informed parents, resonable administration, and in-resonable administration, and in-service training of teachers!  service training of teachers! 

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