In April, the Educational Sciences Department at the University of Potsdam is starting Germany’s first training program for teachers who have fled their homeland. Participants first take an intensive German course at the University’s language center. This is followed in the fall by a course in which teachers become familiar with the German school system and can observe lessons at schools. The University is accepting applications to the program up to March 15, 2016. Schools in Potsdam and the surrounding region that want to offer lesson observations beginning in the fall can register by writing to refteachweluuni-potsdampde.
Thousands of refugee children have been attending German schools for a few months now, and this has created an urgent need for more school teachers. “We haven’t thought about the experienced professional teachers among the refugees from Syria and other countries. They can build bridges in schools, in terms of language and culture, by mediating between new students, their parents, and German schools,” says Prof. Dr. Miriam Vock, an educational scientist in Potsdam. She has created this new training program together with Dr. Frederik Ahlgrimm.
“German university students studying to become teachers should also take these courses and form tandem partnerships with these teachers to learn more about the school systems in the refugees’ home countries. This will be helpful in their later work with refugee children,” says Prof. Dr. Andreas Musil, Vice President for Teaching and Studies at the University of Potsdam, who is also Director of the Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research.
Applications and additional information
Contact: Prof. Dr. Miriam Vock, Professor for Empirical Instruction and Intervention Research
Email: refteachweluuni-potsdampde
Internet: http://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/unterrichtsinterventionsforsch/httpwwwuni-potsdamdeunterrichtsinterventionsforschforschungsprojekterefugeeteacherswelcomehtmlhtml.html
Press Release 19-02-2016 / No. 027
Antje Horn-Conrad
University of Potsdam
Department for Press and Public Relations
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Published online by: Silvana Seppä
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