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How Does the School Management Assign Teachers to Classes at Selective Elementary Schools?

Publication at Faculty of Education |
2020

Abstract

Th e Czech education system allows pupils to be assigned to schools and classes on the basis of their ability and achievements. Th ere is currently a trend of increasing numbers of primary schools applying long-term selection of pupils within the school.

Th e topic of teacher allocation is also closely linked to the distribution of pupils into diff erent types of classes. Th is text aims to verify whether the management of the three selective schools deliberately assigns teachers to classes and what criteria aff ect them.

A descriptive case study and anchored theories were identifi ed as a research strategy to meet this goal. Th e data collection methods that were chosen included analysis of teacher allocation to classrooms in relevant documents (SVP, schedules, annual reports), in-depth semi-structured interviews with school management and teachers, and analysis of the results of comparative tests of pupils within schools.

Th e results show that management follows diff erent criteria in their choice, justifying eff orts to educate the pupils of the selection pathway as eff ectively as possible. Teachers are assigned to classes on the basis of a leadership choice that is based on the quality teacher's own criteria - the selection classes are assigned to "better-quality" teachers, or it is an eff ort by management to recruit only such teachers so that they no longer have to choose and can assign teachers to classes in an "alternate" or "random" way.

But in each of the cases, the leadership's eff ort was to live up to a deeper curriculum in the selection class, with more demanding content and thoughtful didactic methods. Th e selected schools have become an interesting example of teacher allocation to classes, which aff ects not only the teaching process but also the results of the pupils themselves.