Educating teachers

Malta is one of only 11 EU member states which provide for compulsory in-service training for teachers, considered an important element in the process of continuous professional development, especially in the light of new roles of teachers.

Concerned about the shortcomings in teaching skills and difficulties in updating teachers' skills in some countries, the European Commission earlier this month launched a series of proposals to promote a seamless continuum of teacher education provision from initial teacher education, through induction, to career-long continuous development.

Through these proposals, the Commission is urging member states to ensure that teachers are provided with the full range of knowledge and skills that they require to keep up-to-date throughout their careers, including a suitable amount of in-service training for practising teachers, and encourages policies that promote a culture of reflective practice and research within the teaching profession.

The new roles of teachers are a result of classrooms which are gathering a more heterogeneous mix of young people from different backgrounds and with different levels of ability.

"Teachers are also increasingly called upon to help young people become fully autonomous learners by acquiring key skills, rather than memorising information; they are asked to develop more collaborative and constructive approaches to learning and expected to be facilitators and classroom managers rather than ex-cathedra trainers," the Commission said.

These new roles require education in a range of teaching approaches and styles.

These changes require teachers not only to acquire new knowledge and skills on teaching approaches and styles, but also to develop them continuously.

The proposals build upon the Common European Principles for Teacher Competences and Qualifications which were agreed upon by the member states in 2005: the teaching profession is characteristically a well-qualified profession, in which all teachers graduate from a higher education institutes; it requires life-long learning; it is a mobile profession in that teachers are encouraged to work or study in other European countries for professional development purposes; and it is a partnership with schools, local work environments, work-based training providers and other stakeholders.

To support the life-long learning characteristic of the teaching profession, the European Commission is urging member states to take part in an effective programme of induction for teachers in their first three years. It also suggests that teachers should have access to structured guidance and mentoring by experienced teachers throughout their career, and that they take part in regular discussions about their training and development needs.

Teachers should find opportunities to develop their competences via formal, informal and non-formal means, including exchanges and placements. They should be encouraged to study for further qualifications, and take part in study and research at a higher education level.

With respect to their profession, the Commission advises that teachers should undertake classroom-based research, incorporate into their teaching the results of classroom and academic research, evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching strategies and amend them accordingly, and assess their own training needs.

"At every point in their career, teachers need to have, or be able to acquire, the full range of subject knowledge, attitudes and pedagogic skills to be able to help young people to reach their full potential. In particular they need the skills necessary to identify the specific needs of each individual learner, and respond to them by deploying a wide range of teaching strategies; support the development of young people into fully autonomous lifelong learners; help young people to acquire the competences listed in the European Reference Framework of Key Competences; work in multicultural settings (including an understanding of the value of diversity, and respect for difference); and work in close collaboration with colleagues, parents and the wider community," the Commission states.

Teacher education in Malta is already very developed in relation to other countries. A spokesman for the Ministry for Education said the Department for Curriculum Management carries out a number of in-service training programmes for teachers:

a) three-day training sessions (annual in-service courses) at the beginning and end of each scholastic year;

b) A number of training programmes covering topics suggested by education officers, head teachers and other educators. The requests are then forwarded to the Director Curriculum who approves courses according to priorities and the budget available;

c)  Professional development sessions in all schools, which consist of one session per scholastic term of two hours duration after school hours;

d) The annual Council of Europe Workshop which is organised locally;

e) Post-graduate scholarship sponsorships offered by the government.

The spokesman explained that during the last scholastic year, 33 annual in-service courses were organised in September 2006, which were attended by 1,274 teachers, and 59 courses were held in July, which were attended by 3,000 teachers.

Seventy training initiatives were held last year, reaching 900 teachers, while professional development sessions were held three times a year (one per term) in 109 primary and secondary schools, Junior Lyceums, trade schools and special needs schools, which were attended by 2,963. The annual Council of Europe Workshop was attended by 35 participants, of whom 25 were Maltese.