Teacher education policy has predominantly been focused on initial teacher education and on questions about how teacher candidates should be educated to be able to contribute to pupils learning in schools. However, this focus on preparing teachers for the start of their profession runs the risk of strengthening the image of the teacher profession as a static profession where an initial preparation for the profession is sufficient for a lifelong qualification as a teacher. This ignores the importance of life long professional development, both for the wellbeing of students as for the wellbeing and continuous motivation and inspiration of teachers. Therefore, the Teacher Education Policy in Europe Network (TEPE) has widened its scope to include issues about teacher education as a continuum stretching from the initial phase over induction to learning all through a teacher’s professional life. 

This process of life long professional development needs to be supported by recognition and opportunities to put experience, growing expertise and new insights and skill to good use in schools. Such recognition and opportunities are not only important for schools and pupils as they contribute to improved quality of teaching and learning in schools, but also for teachers, as they contribute to the attractiveness of the teacher profession.

The recognition of teachers’ professional growth can be formalized in career opportunities and career pathways for teachers. As many countries are struggling with teacher shortage, the question how to retain teachers and how career opportunities can contribute to this, is of high importance. This has resulted in a growing attention for teacher careers and career support, both at school level and at system level (see for example recent work of the Working Group Schools from the European Commission). Both in policy studies and in national and European guidelines and initiatives a number of issues emerge, e.g. regarding possible roles and career paths, support systems, organizational structures in schools, methods of recognition, the role of teacher assessment, the balance between school/system needs and individual ambitions of teachers, et cetera.

To map, explore and discuss these issues, TEPE invites you to a webinar on these issues to identify the current state of art, challenges and opportunities. The webinar will take place on September 16 from 15:00 to 18:00 CET. The aim for the webinar is to share experiences and insights from different countries and regions on current situations and from ongoing research work and policy work on teachers career long learning and career pathways.

During the webinar we want to explore several perspectives, with a special focus on the implications for (pre-service and in-service) teacher education. In short keynotes we will draw both from research studies (e.g. from UNESCO) and from national developments and experiences regarding teacher careers. Participants will have the opportunity to actively share their experiences, insights and dilemmas in subgroups. Finally we will draw conclusions from the keynotes and the outcomes of the subgroups by identifying key issues that will be taken up in follow-up activities and might be the focus of new research projects.

Short pre-liminary outline of the programme

15:00     Welcome and introduction of the webinar (Dr. Björn Åstrand, Umea University)

15:10     Three short keynotes, including Prof. Marco Snoek (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), Barbara Tournier and Chloé Chimier (UNESCO-IIEP) and Dr. Björn Åstrand (Umea University)

16:00     Break-out session

17:00     Plenary discussion on key issues, challenges and implications for teacher education

17:45     Wrap up with possible follow-up activities.

For further information, see the TEPE website.

The report of the webinar can be found here