The reform explained to future teachers
On November 20, the Faculty of Education welcomed the rector of the Occitanie academic region for a meeting on teaching professions. Third-year students studying economics, science, sports science, and education science came to learn about the prospects offered by the profession and the new teacher training reform.
Agnès Perrin Doucey, Dean of the Faculty of Education, opened the meeting by emphasizing the importance of bringing future university graduates closer to the world of education in which they will be working. This is a sector undergoing rapid change, which has seen numerous successive reforms in recent years.
A better start to your career
It was precisely the latest of these reforms, concerning initial training, that Carole Drucker-Godard, Rector of the Occitanie academic region and the Montpellier academy, came to present and explain. She was accompanied by Mathieu Ruffenach, academic inspector and regional educational inspector responsible for initial training, Christophe Mauny, academic director of the Gard National Education Services responsible for primary education, and Laurent Gouze, director of human resources for the academy.
The reform introduces several major changes designed to promote a more immersive and accessible entry into the profession. Future teachers are now in the field from the very beginning of their career. New skills reinforce the practical and professional aspects of the training program in order to better meet the current demands of the profession. Another change is that students now receive remuneration from the first year of their master's degree. This is in recognition of their professional investment during their training. As the rector points out, " this reform is designed to improve entry into the profession."
Extend the dialogue
The students were then able to ask the speakers questions. Many topics were discussed, such as: assignment criteria, details about expectations for the final exam and the status of civil servant students, and the number of students per class. One concern that seemed particularly important to the future teachers was addressed clearly by Carole Drucker-Godard:
"The reform will not have an impact on class sizes. It is the decline in the population that is currently leading to a decrease in student numbers, with a national average of 21 students per class."
Finally, a dynamic quiz hosted by Agnès Vrinat, senior inspector, tested the students' perceptions of the profession, its realities, and its developments. The meeting concluded with an informal discussion. The stated goal? To encourage young people to become ambassadors for the teaching profession and enable them to better envision themselves in this meaningful career path, which, as Rector Carole Drucker-Godard reminded them, remains "the most beautiful job in the world, because it is a job where you feel useful."