Would-be teachers in Germany are required to thoroughly learn two academic subjects before they embark on pedagogic theory. Mastering multiple subjects enables German teachers to teach interdisciplinary programs, says Darling-Hammond. On her way to receiving a teaching certificate, Thekla von Dombois earned master’s degrees simultaneously in English from the University of Cologne and in music at Cologne Music College. Her 10 semesters were a steady stream of term papers, research papers and seminar presentations. Her final exam, a thesis on Thomas Whythorne, a minor English composer, combined both her fields and was followed by 3 four hour written exams and a one-hour oral. “I have the feeling they want to put you under the highest possible pressure to see if you can take it,” says von Dombois, 30.
Classroom experience: Only after she earned two master’s degrees did von Dombois turn to classes in education. Then she took two years of intensive teacher training, run by the state Ministry of Culture, which combined a teaching seminar and hands-on classroom experience. The seminar group met three times each week to study theory and didactics and once a week with each of several “subject directors” teaching the state curriculum for English and music. “It’s a fairly hard period of time for them, and very work-intensive,” says Werner Ohly, who was the subject director for the English seminar.
Von Dombois spent almost every morning in a high-school classroom in suburban Cologne-at first, just watching. “In the beginning, you sit in the back and listen” she says. “After four to six weeks, you’re anxious to try it yourself.” Gradually she was permitted to teach some of the lessons while the real teacher observed, giving criticism, praise and advice. Some 25 times during the two years, her seminar director made official visits, grading each lesson she gave. At the end of the two years came the final state exam: von Dombois had to prepare, teach and evaluate a series of lessons in a specific subject. Her written report, describing a concept for teaching English by concentrating on British humor, ran some 100 pages. Final to undergo oral exams of 20 minutes each in English, music and education theory before receiving a certificate to teach English and music at the college preparatory level.
Even that arduous training doesn’t guarantee her a job: there is currently an, oversupply of 16,000 certified teachers, another testament to the profession’s appeal. Why not export them to the United States, where teacher shortages persist in some fields? Some officials have tried-there have been programs in Georgia, Texas and California-but not many teachers were interested. Apparently they preferred the poor job market at home to the poor working conditions in the United States.
