Praxismittelschule Vienna

Lower Secondary School for Pre-service Classroom Teaching

At the University College of Teacher Education Vienna one Primary School for Pre-service Classroom Teaching (Praxisvolksschule) and one Lower Secondary School for Pre-service Classroom Teaching (Praxismitelschule) make the linking of theory and practice possible. Highly qualified pedagogues create an optimal learning environment for children and young people, introduce teacher trainees to the field of work and profession, develop models of school and education based on findings from pedagogical research, and evaluate and investigate them with regard to their practical suitability together with lecturers at University College of Teacher Education.

“Living at school together” – this is the central guiding principle of the Praxisschulen and applies to all those involved in school life. This refers to participation by means of talking together, being actively involved in school development, and taking part in decision-making. Cooperation and being there for each other are fundamental aspects of the school community whereby the strengthening of the individual is focused on as well. In order to ensure that appreciation, responsibility, acceptance and inclusion is brought to life and that the Praxisschulen are a place of democratic learning, the necessary basic democratic competences such as moral awareness, judgement and opinion-forming are gradually initiated and trained with the pupils.

The Lower Secondary School for Pre-service Classroom Teaching is a secondary school in Vienna. 35 teachers work with 200 students between the ages of 10 and 14. It is based on the strengths of the individual students and enables optimal individualization and performance promotion. They are supported in acquiring specialist competences, key competences and essential elements of personality development for their further education. An important task of the teachers of the Lower Secondary School for Pre-service Classroom Teaching is to mentor teacher trainees  of the Bachelor’s program General Education Secondary School in the Nord-Ost network on their study path and to promote the development of their teacher’s personality.

There are eight classes in the lower secondary school for pre-service classroom teaching, two of which are multi-level classes. Each school level is supervised by a small team of teachers. The lessons are mainly in team-teaching and in small groups. In all classes, there is a learning coaching session in which the students are supported by the teachers in developing and improving their personal learning competence and motivation. This individual learning development is supported and implemented in the learning club hours, which are offered for all classes.

Another focus of the lower secondary school for pre-service classroom teaching is the digital basic education of all pupils. New media are used in all subjects. The main principles of the school are cosmopolitanism, tolerance and integration. The lower secondary school for pre-service classroom teaching sees itself as a place where all participants find a pleasant learning and working atmosphere.