Preparing student teachers post-pandemic: lessons learnt from principals and teachers in New Zealand and Germany

ABSTRACT

This article reports on a joint research project across two countries, Germany and New Zealand, where there have been relatively successful measures in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, though using somewhat different strategies given the different contexts with Germany being situated in centre of Europe and New Zealand being an island nation. Findings from semi-structured interviews with a total of 48 participants, comprising 14 primary school teachers, 12 primary school principals, 11 secondary school teachers and 11 secondary school principals in New Zealand and Germany are explored. These findings argue for teacher education courses to be reconsidered in terms of: (i) strategies to improve collaboration between teachers, and between teachers and parents, (ii) better preparation for the use of blended teaching methods that are motivational and appropriate for the tools available to learners, (iii) the need to recognise the potential challenges faced by individual children from differing backgrounds (economic, cultural and special needs), and ways to provide and access support.

KEYWORDS:

• Principals
• teachers
• COVID-19
• Germany
• New Zealand

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).