BOLETÍN 1848: TEACHING STANDARDS, CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Published since 1964

COMITE DU PERSONNEL STAFF COMMITTEE PERSONALRAT

ECOLES EUROPEENNES EUROPEAN SCHOOLS EUROPÄISCHE SCHULEN

Bulletin 1848

Joint Teaching Committee, 11 & 12 October 2012 (continued from BI 1847)

4) Teaching Standards for the European schools (2012-09-D-11-en-2)

Presented by Mrs Vermeire.

The document is presented as a generic document, the objective of which is to provide teachers with criteria to enable them to evaluate their professional practices.

Discussion: 

CdP: demands clarification of the points 20 and 32. On point 20, which contains the term competence, the definition is to be found in a document from October 2011. Point 32 introduces competence in several languages for the teachers, which is new. Will this be included as a condition for recruitment in the future?

Reply: It is not a condition for recruitment at present but perhaps in the future. Existing documents will be studied to decide whether this element should be retained or not. 

Commission: demand for clarification 

Directors and deputies express their thanks.

COSUP: confirms that motivated teachers are needed to motivate pupils and plead that room for creativity on the part of the teacher is included in the document.

On point 29:  there is a real need to assist new colleagues to rapidly integrate in the system.

SG: Article 30 of the Staff Regulations for CdC (evaluation of teachers) anticipates this document. 

Overall the document is well received and will be followed by others of more operational character.

5) Policy of Continuous Professional Development  (CPD) (2011-09-D-21-en-)

Introduced by Mrs Vermeire.

This document presents the movement from in-service training to the continuous professional development (CPD) of educational staff. The Educational advisors are also addressed by this document.

Discussion:

CdP: cautious and wonders about the profile of the teacher which emerges from a reading of the document; the teacher has sole responsibility for his professional improvement and for this, all the tools proposed are virtual or in passive communication. This goes contrary to the essence of the teacher, who communicates in the real world both physically and verbally. He has to show empathy and charisma and, in addition, master both subject and didactic methods. Education without, or almost without failure is sought. Then give teachers the resources, human and technical resources to achieve these ambitious goals. At present, subject training has been reduced and is made available to just some teachers, coordination time has been reduced, inviting external experts is expensive but the budget is cut. Do not forget that teachers’ contracts are limited to 9 years and if the teacher have not been able to pass on their knowledge and experience to the subject team, their expertise is lost.

Commission: wonders about the financial impact.

Interparents:  supports the teachers’ point of view and since timetable reductions have been cut, how are exchanges to be facilitated? 

Deputies: Technical difficulties can be foreseen. One can only develop internal improvement. 

Directors:  More human resources and more time are needed. A possibility exists: some days before or after the school year so as to respect the 180 days. More responsibility and resources should be given to coordinators.

Inspectors: propose an evaluation by peers

SG: the resources of the OSGES are not used to the full, a plan exists for CPD. The numbers of teachers attending In-service training should be increased. 

Practical elements are missing; a calendar for training must be drawn up, a plan to avoid a situation in which some teachers spend 9 years without training. 

Mrs Vermeire:  faced with the serious reservations expressed by the teachers, she proposes improving communication with these between now and February in order to remove the obstacles. 

VI. ITEMS REQUIRING AN OPINION FOR THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

1) Joint report of the UK presidency of the Board of Inspectors and teaching committees (2012-09-D-14-en-1)

Introduced by Mr Hoy.

On page 14 there is an error, part of the text is missing. A new version of the document will be sent

2) Report of the Chair of the 2012 European Baccalaureate Examining Board (2012-09-D-10-en-1)

Mr Pachler: Wants to identify some the key things

Presentation of the report  “important to read because important things are mentioned in it.”

SG: Report is particularly important for the WG reform of the BAC

Parents: In agreement that too much happened at same time; hope all the recommendations are taken in consideration.

Commission: Good report and hopes that all the recommendations are taken in consideration.

Conclusion: positive report and recommendations will be taken in consideration.

3) Evaluation of the practical organisation of the oral & written exams BAC 2012 by Mrs Eckerstorfer.  PowerPoint Presentation

Information on quality assurance:

• For the orals: a feedback on the oral exams will be communicated to teachers
• The guidelines and criteria will be sent before the BAC questions are written. No date for this was give,
• This year another sample of questionnaires will be chosen to evaluate the questions
• For the written: Teacher feedback 
• In L2, harmonise the exams better

4) Dossier of Conformity –Tallinn European Schooling (2012-09-D-24-en-1)

Short summary of the report.

Commission: Thanks the Estonian delegation and supports the creation. School must be audited before any EU contribution to the budget.

Greece: Why not open an Estonian section immediately? Estonian compulsory for everyone, also for the English speaking?

SG:  Clear document. In Estonia it is an obligation to study Estonian so it needs to be organised within the European curriculum. They need to have a closer look to the definition of the cat1 pupils because they are different then the definition as a type 1 school.

Positive advise taking into consideration the remarks made in the JTC.

5) Dossier of Conformity –European School of Copenhagen (2012-09-D-25-en-2)

Mr Damkjaer: Explanation of the situation and summary of the report.

Commission: Supports this proposal. Specified the accreditation before contribution is looked at.

Parents: Question the use of the name of European schools?

SG: Since the creation of European school Strasbourg it may be used.

Positive advise taking in consideration the remarks made in the JTC. 

VII Other Points

1) Report 180 days (2012-09-D-58-en-1)

Report introduced by the SG.

Commission: Ask for the exact days in 2011/2012 in each school. Asks “Why not doing the orals during Whitsun holidays?”

Directors: Not possible to have180 days and the professional development of teachers without missing any lessons and now also have to create a solution for the exams.

Parents: Not just the BAC orals, there is much more

CdP: If the oral were in the Whitsun week, it would be impossible to do a “BAC Blanc”, and if want to avoid missing lessons these meetings must be done during the weekends.

2. PISA based school test in the European School of Culham: state of play

Presentation by the Deputy Secretary General.

Brigitte, DEVOS  (Bx II), Bernadette FAYMONVILLE (Frankfurt) , 

Dagmar GABRIEL(Karlsruhe), Boris GASSELING (Mol)

End