Mathematics

Professional qualification of teacher tandems conceptually
combined with lesson development -
M. Grassmann, E. Binner
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
The concept
Teacher trainers, who educate teachers and accompany and support
processes to enhance lesson quality and curricular development, need
conceptually appropriate qualification modules. These modules have to
address mathematical content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge.
Additionally they have to bear in mind the continuous enhancement of lesson
and curricular quality.
The exceptionally diverse teaching staff of Berlin, teaching primary levels from
grade one to six, makes it necessary to develop qualification modules for
teachers that cope with that diversity. The teaching staff differs in various
areas: mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge as
well as experiences in teaching on a primary school level.
Taking this necessity for teacher in-service training and educational policies
(issued by the state) into account, the German Centre for Mathematics
Teacher Education (DZLM) designs training concepts which focus not only on
professional qualification in terms of mathematical content knowledge, but also
on the didactical implementation in the classroom. To ensure sustainability and
a continuous process of improving lesson quality, the training modules call for
teachers of primary schools to work in tandems. The qualification program
allows them to act as experts and multipliers not only within their school but
also within their school district. Working within a professionalized teaching
community is also part of the qualification program. Since August 2012,
department one (primary school level) and department A (multiplier and
teacher qualification programs) of the DZLM in cooperation with the Berlin’s
Senate Department for Education, Youth and Science have designed several
qualification workshops for teacher-tandems of Berlin’s primary schools. The
mathematical contents from a didactics perspective are:
• Stochastic in primary school: data, frequency and probability
• Geometry
• Practical problems: scaling and measuring
• Numbers and arithmetic operations
The courses have been conducted these since February 2013. The poster
presents the concept which serves as the basis for the mathematical and
pedagogical qualification modules which address not only qualified teachers of
mathematics but also those who majored in different areas but teach
mathematics nonetheless. The poster gives an overview of all workshops
offered currently. Each of the qualification modules is designed as an inservice
training program and is scheduled over one school term. It consists of
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