structural development

Innovative teaching internships: the successful model project of the TU Dresden for East Saxony is entering the next round.

In May and June of this year, more than a dozen teaching students from TU Dresden a groundbreaking internship at two high schools in Lusatia. As part of a model project against the shortage of teachers in East Saxony ( we reported ), they turned the canceled lessons into learning hours. These students helped children in Zittau and Weißwasser to develop independent learning, as project leader Anke Langner, professor in the TU Faculty of Education , explained on the occasion of the continuation of the project.

Successful start and expansion of the project

The first phase of the project was considered a success, so it will continue after the autumn holidays. At the beginning of the week, Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer visited the TU Dresden to personally advertise the last remaining open places in this promising project. In the new school year, over 60 student learning assistants will gain practical experience at at least five schools.

What is particularly pleasing is that ten students from the first phase are continuing their participation. Thanks to the school authorities, some schools can offer free accommodation for students, which makes the long journeys from Dresden easier. So far, schools in Niesky, Weißwasser and Mücka have already expressed interest in taking part.

Michael Kretschmer motivated the prospective teachers with appreciative words and invited them to gain their first practical experience in the priceless district of Görlitz - like our UBL team did at "Teachermania".

Praise from the head of government

Prime Minister Kretschmer praised the students' early start in practice and emphasized the importance of teaching: "Teaching is not a profession, but a calling." He emphasized that teacher training is a question of human resources, not money. The model for this project is the Dresden University School , an innovative model that has been testing new teaching and learning methods since 2019.

Quickly into practice - how it works

The students are accompanied at the schools by experienced teachers. The local mayors also support the project by providing apartments for the prospective teachers. A key advantage of the semester-long internship is the direct practice. In contrast to classic block internships, where students mainly sit in, they are actively involved here. They take on tasks such as promoting reading, interdisciplinary projects, accompanying on excursions and providing support with learning.

Great response

There is no question that the project is already very well received in the East Saxony region. The number of lessons canceled in schools in the Görlitz district is currently particularly high, which makes the project particularly relevant. Anke Langner emphasizes that the innovative approach meets the students' desire for more practice and at the same time alleviates the consequences of the teacher shortage. "We are taking advantage of the crisis we have," she explains.

The project offers a win-win situation for students and schools and, in a broader sense, contributes to structural development in the region. planned in the region in cooperation with the Zittau/Görlitz University Prime Minister Kretschmer is confident - and not just with regard to young teachers for our region. He hopes that the successful model project can also be expanded to other regions of Germany.

We would like to thank the Görlitz District Office and the Prime Minister for providing the photos