Thousands of teachers are missing, the gap is growing, and there is a lack of young talent. No stone is left unturned in the federal states to recruit personnel. Three universities in North Rhine-Westphalia have started an unusual project.
The new teacher goes through the ranks of the 11th grade, handing out worksheets, and there is an exam coming up soon for the basic German course. Unusual: The “teacher” Gina Marie Wiethege is only 17 years old and still goes to school herself. She changes roles for a day. As part of a program that aims to attract young people to the teaching profession, for which new talent is desperately needed across Germany.
Gina’s placement in a comprehensive school in Hamm on the edge of the Ruhr area is a small job test, a look behind the scenes. She is considering studying to become a teacher, but has many questions and would like to change her perspective.
Teacher shortage in Germany
Thousands of teachers are missing in Germany, and according to many forecasts the gap is growing. The aim of the new format at the universities of Bochum, Duisburg-Essen and Dortmund, initially until September 23rd, is to counteract the staff shortage. The German Teachers’ Association and educational researchers welcome the idea.
German teacher Stefan Schorning (35), who looks after Gina, sees this as an opportunity: “It’s a pilot experiment. We have a shortage of teachers and it would be really great if we had more young people.” Important from his point of view: “We offer an unadorned view. There are no show hours.
Gina’s plan includes German lessons in upper school courses or social studies in a 7th grade class. “How’s the quoting going?” she is asked by a student. Gina can help thanks to the advanced German course at her vocational college at home. She has no fear of contact. “I had no problems standing in front of the class, I handled it well.”
An educational alliance – including the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Center for University Development – recently predicted that there will be a shortage of between 31,000 and 81,000 teachers nationwide by 2030. According to the latest figures, more than 8,000 positions in North Rhine-Westphalia were unfilled at the end of 2022. In addition, many new students drop out of their teacher training studies.
140 high school students took part in the pilot test
A good 140 high school students are initially taking part in the pilot test. “The participants should get a realistic picture of the variety of tasks in the profession,” explains Mira Stepec from the Ruhr-University Bochum. All types of schools are represented. More teachers had registered, but not all of them could be taken into account. It is hoped that the format will not only be repeated in the Ruhr area, but that the idea could also spread across North Rhine-Westphalia and possibly other federal states.
Educational researcher Michael Becker-Mrotzek says: “In view of the demographic change and the relatively low proportion of teacher training students, such a measure is definitely to be welcomed.” In this way, future students could “get an idea of the teaching profession at an early stage or even include it in their selection.” Especially since many other professional fields are also competing for school graduates.
From the perspective of the German Teachers’ Association, such an insight is “a good idea to advertise the versatile and fundamentally attractive profession of a teacher.” Of course, only an incomplete picture is possible in such a short time.
Accompanied by a teacher
Important: Intensive preparation and follow-up as well as support from a teacher, “so that the students – without didactic and pedagogical tools – do not end up in daunting, overwhelming situations,” emphasizes President Stefan Düll. He warns: “So that young people perceive the teaching profession as attractive and decide more to study to become a teacher again in the long term, the general conditions in schools must be significantly improved.”
In Hamm, teacher Stefan Schorning doesn’t hide anything: “We’re also file people. Everything actually has to be documented.” Gina nods. “That doesn’t scare me as long as it doesn’t go too far.” The 35-year-old reports on career advice for high school students, desk work of all kinds, organization of course and school trips, exchanges with external consultants, the role of school social work – and his joy in working with adolescents. “
A lot of things are new territory for Gina. She has questions about gender, protecting students’ privacy or time management, and when you have to “step in when students are chatting.” At the end of the “Teacher Exchange Exchange” program, an analysis is carried out, an evaluation is carried out and the participants are asked to provide their feedback. Teacher Schorning thinks: “There are downsides, but above all the work is a lot of fun.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
