As of: February 8, 2024, 5:08 a.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Sometimes specialist knowledge is not enough: In many schools, young teachers have to go through a strange ritual that is actually forbidden.
Berlin/Düsseldorf – When Yvonne Walters was a trainee teacher, she didn't just have pedagogical concepts, German and math on her mind on her exam day.
But also rolls, cold cuts and fresh orange juice.
In addition to the stress of the exam, she also had to prepare breakfast for her examiners.
“We were told that we had better do something good,” Walters remembers.
Today she works as a teacher at a primary school in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In order to avoid difficulties with her employer, her real name is not mentioned here.
She represents many young teachers who report a ritual that is actually strictly forbidden.
She felt pressured by this.
Young teachers should make breakfast for their examiners
The ritual is often part of the so-called teaching test, in which an examination committee visits the trainee teachers in a lesson to assess how the young teachers deal with the students and whether they are professionally suitable.
An important test that can decide the future course of a career.
Some of the training takes place at the centers for practical teacher training (ZfsL).
Many people learn about the breakfast ritual for the first time there or at the respective schools.
“The instructors made it clear that this was expected,” says Walters.
She found it humiliating to have to butter the examiners in the morning.
“The faculty often throws together so that the examinees at least don’t have to pay for everything themselves,” adds Walters.
The Education and Science Union (GEW) is aware of this curious custom.
“Yes, this practice is known,” explains Anja Bensinger-Stolze, member of the GEW board, to IPPEN.MEDIA.
“There is usually no regular requirement, but it has become established in some federal states, districts and districts over the years.” The competition for the best breakfast for the examiners has become increasingly larger over time.
Trainee teachers are under a lot of pressure
Trainee teachers are often under great pressure during their exam lessons.
“This should not be reinforced by preparing breakfast for the examiners,” says the trade unionist.
“On the day of the exam, you should be able to concentrate on carrying out the lessons and the subsequent discussion about the lessons.” The relationship between the examiners and the trainees today should not be hierarchical, emphasizes Bensinger-Stolze: “That is why there is such 'deference' not appropriate."
In fact, this ritual is not only inappropriate but also forbidden.
“The examinee may not be involved in any way in the preparation, implementation or even financing of the examination board’s entertainment.
The respective school management must ensure this.
Violations of this must be reported to the examination office immediately,” said the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Education upon request, quoting the State Office for Quality Assurance and Information Technology for Teacher Training.
The appearance of bribery should be avoided
Some schools now provide examiners with coffee or tea.
As a collegial gesture of hospitality.
This is intended to enable trainees to concentrate fully on their lessons.
However, the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Education recommends that you generally avoid hosting by the training school.
Only the use of school canteens or kiosks “is of course possible”.
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One thing is clear: even the appearance of bribery on the one hand and exerting pressure on junior staff on the other should be avoided.
Especially at a time of massive teacher shortages in many schools.
You don't want to scare anyone away.
The Ministry of Education says there are no current complaints about this.
But anyone affected can contact the examination office “and be sure that the complaint will be seriously investigated.”
But: “Nobody does that, you don’t want to mess up the exam,” says Yvonne Walters.
Teacher shortage: Do young talents feel deterred?
Do such practices perhaps deter young people from taking up teaching as a profession?
“No, because you usually only find out about this ritual during your traineeship or even shortly before the exam.
“That won’t deter anyone from studying to become a teacher and completing a traineeship,” believes Anja Bensinger-Stolze from the GEW.
But: “The spirit behind it can, however, be an overall hindrance to completing a traineeship in an open and good learning atmosphere.”
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at his own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.