Sabine Weiss

Career choice motives of early childhood educators: A cross-country comparison of four European countries

The present study compares career choice motives of future early childhood educators studying for a tertiary qualification. Suitable analyses of this kind are still missing. Diverging training systems, traditions and professional images in the different countries are related to certain motives. These motives are categorised according to a theory that is used as a theoretical framework. The study takes into account 468 student teachers from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Romania and is methodologically based on variance analyses. Overall, intrinsic motives were found to be of greater significance. This applies equally to all countries. Furthermore, addressee-related motives are more pronounced among Swiss and German prospective early childhood educators than among those from Sweden or Romania. On the contrary, extrinsic motives have a stronger presence among Romanian student teachers. Income and prestige, as the only exceptions, are important for students from Sweden and Switzerland. The results are discussed referring to country-specific working conditions and the current status of professionalisation processes existing in problem areas.

Do Open-Minded Student Teachers Have More Favorable Attitudes Towards Different Dimensions of Heterogeneity?

The present study aims at investigating student teachers’ attitudes towards heterogeneity, which represent one part of teachers’ profession and determine future teacher action. Particularly, it addresses research gaps regarding the relationship between attitudes and personality traits such as the Big Five, which are also important in the field of teacher professionalism. Through confirmatory factor analysis, the validity of an existing measurement instrument of attitudes was verified in a sample with 294 student teachers. Personality traits represented significant predictors of some of the attitudes measured, but were only able to explain relatively little variance. Practical implications for teacher training are discussed.

How to teach students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities in inclusive and special education settings: Teachers’ perspectives on skills, knowledge and attitudes

The present study investigated the requirements for teaching students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities in inclusive and special education settings, emphasising the skills, knowledge and attitudes that teachers need. Drawing on investigative group discussions with teachers and principals, qualitative content analysis was used to categorise these skills, knowledge and attitudes. Key requirements in teaching this student population include skills to implement individualised and differentiated teaching, as well as creating individually adapted learning materials. Leadership and counselling abilities are also required in order to ensure successful collaboration between different actors by clarifying roles and hierarchies and negotiating work distribution and expectations. The teacher–student relationship should be characterised by an attitude of appreciation, openness and, in particular, a focus on the positive, regardless of the student’s behaviour, requiring a balance between closeness to the student and an appropriate distance. Finally, it is important when teaching this student population to care for one’s own mental and physical health over the longer term. The article concludes by discussing target-oriented strategies and measures for teachers’ work practices and further education to strengthen the requisite skills, knowledge and attitudes, particularly with a view to inclusion.

How can intercultural school development succeed? The perspective of teachers and teacher educators

Abstract The large number of newly arrived individuals from other countries, particularly of young people, has had an enormous impact on the school system in Germany. The present study investigated requirements for successful intercultural school development. The study used investigative group discussions, where the groups were composed of teachers and teacher education experts, to identify the structures, measures, attitudes and cooperation required for intercultural school development process. Conditions for success were derived from the qualitative content analysis of these discussions. These conditions address different school levels (e.g. structural, personal or social levels). It was found that intercultural school development cannot be successful without additional resources, as well as further training over the longer term. Solutions for existing language barriers that affect teachers, pupils and parents require structural measures.