Portugal

Teacher Education Specific to Mathematics and Science

Teachers at the preprimary level and the first cycle of basic education (Grades 1 to 4) are generalist professionals who teach all subjects in the curriculum (i.e., mathematics, science, and language). These teachers eventually may be aided by teachers who specialize in teaching students with special education needs if there are such students in the class. For the second cycle (Grades 5 to 6), each subject is taught by a different teacher who can teach more than one subject depending on his or her qualifications (e.g., a teacher can teach both mathematics and sciences courses). Curricula in the third cycle (Grades 7 to 9) are taught by single teachers according to their qualifications. Most Portuguese schools are organized in school clusters with cycle coordinators who coordinate teachers, pedagogical practices, and curricula implementation for schools within the cluster. Within school clusters, teachers from different grades may also collaborate in teaching specific subjects.

Teachers receive their education through polytechnic or university programs, holding at least a bachelor’s (preprimary education) or a master’s degree (primary and secondary education). With the implementation of the Bologna process (finalized in 2009–2010), a master’s degree in education is the minimum requirement for teaching.²² The curriculum subjects, groups of subjects, or areas that these graduates can teach are defined by their teaching diploma.²³ After getting a teaching qualification degree, university graduates must pass a national qualifying examination with general education and subject specific components.^b,24 Newly appointed teachers undergo one year of supervised practicum and probationary teaching and must be approved with at least a grade of “Good.”

Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development

The Ministry of Education and Science manages several programs for teachers’ professional development in partnership with different higher education institutes and universities.²⁵ Experienced teachers also act as tutors and can collaborate in teaching specific subjects within their school cluster.