Individual characteristics of prospective teachers

The questions of who becomes a teacher and whether the transition to teacher education is associated with a negative selection process have been discussed in both national and international studies on teacher quality (Denzler and Wolter. Cambridge Journal of Education 39(4): 423–441, 2009; Klusmann et al. Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie 23(3–4): 265–278, 2009; Hanushek and Pace. Economics of Education Review 14(2): 101–117, 1995). This chapter examines the background to these questions and presents empirical findings on the characteristics of teacher candidates in Germany. First, data on the cognitive and motivational characteristics of prospective mathematics teachers were obtained from the COACTIV-R study of teachers in the induction phase of teacher education. The results revealed considerable differences in the motivational and cognitive characteristics of teacher candidates preparing to teach in the academic track versus other school types. Second, the cognitive and psychosocial attributes of prospective teachers were compared with those of other students, based on data from the Transformation of Secondary School Systems and Academic Careers study (Köller et al. Wege zur Hochschulreife in Baden-Württemberg: TOSCA – Eine Untersuchung an allgemeinbildenden und beruflichen Gymnasien [Educational pathways to college in Baden-Württemberg. TOSCA: a study of traditional and vocational Gymnasium schools]. Leske + Budrich, Opladen, 2004). Again, teacher candidates preparing to teach in the academic versus nonacademic tracks showed considerable differences in cognitive and personal characteristics, but the data did not support the widespread idea that the teacher candidates are a negatively selected group in terms of cognitive and motivational characteristics. [Editor]