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Teacher shortage: Fired teacher raises the alarm and fights back!
The article deals with the dismissal of a teacher in Stendal who resists a ban on entry in view of the teacher shortage and insufficient political feedback.
Teacher shortage: Fired teacher raises the alarm and fights back!
Education policy in Germany is facing major challenges, particularly due to the acute shortage of teachers. A case that vividly illustrates the problem is that of a termination in Salzwedel, which led to the affected teacher being banned from entering the building. As MDR reports, this decision not only meant breaking off contact with most colleagues, but also great difficulties in finding a job in Lower Saxony, possibly due to the personal file. Even if a private school was interested in the job, it had to cancel due to financial constraints.
The teacher has currently found a new job as a learning companion at a newly founded independent school, which she finds very fulfilling. Nevertheless, her case also shows the lasting signal effect that leads many teachers to defend themselves against additional burdens such as the anticipation lesson. Many people find this hour to be too much, especially considering the full class size, the special needs of the students and the challenges posed by the corona pandemic. According to reports from bpb, the issue of teacher shortages is a central element in current educational discussions.
School stress and lack of feedback
The current discussion about measures to relieve the burden on teachers does not produce any solutions. For example, the extra hour was not seen as helping the teacher shortage and could instead lead to even more absences. The teacher concerned was also able to express these concerns to politicians, but her attempts to contact her - for example with Ms Feußner and Mr Riedel - were unsuccessful. Disappointed, she expresses her loss of trust in the country, especially after the sentence about the 'irretrievably broken relationship of trust' in her resignation.
The challenges go beyond individual fates. Experts like Prof. Dr. Harm Kuper emphasize that up to a third of primary school students do not achieve the minimum standards in mathematics and German and that many children's reading skills are inadequate. [Bildungsserver](https://www.bildungsserver.de/schule/lehrkraefte Mangel-in-deutschland-12997-de.html) reports that teachers are getting older on average and fewer and fewer young people are choosing to study to become a teacher, not least because of the high numerus clausus.
Strategies to combat the teacher shortage
In order to counteract this development, various possible solutions are being discussed. This includes hiring career changers who may not have extensive pedagogical training, as well as shortening the school week to four days. The Education and Science Union (GEW) also puts forward suggestions such as improving working conditions and increasing the number of study places. There is currently a shortage of over 12,000 teachers across Germany.
But despite the many ideas and suggestions, there is great uncertainty. Only three out of ten teachers continue to work healthily until retirement, while the dropout rate among teacher training students is worryingly high. A rethink is required, both in terms of training and the appreciation of teachers. Education experts are not only calling for an adjustment of teacher training, but also of the structures in order to better respond to acute needs.