Teach For Austria and the Lower Austria University of Education hosted the final exploitation event of the NEST project titled, “Starting the Teaching Profession – Opportunities, Chances, and Perspectives,” in the festival hall of the Vienna Board of Education. The event aimed to address critical questions regarding how new teachers could successfully enter the profession, how they could be well-supported during their initial years, the challenges faced by the new generation of entrants, and the significant role of school culture.
Attendees included school administrators, student teachers, experienced educators, mentors, and experts from various institutions. The moderators, Sonja Macher and Christoph Hofbauer, guided the program, which featured introductory remarks from Michael Sörös, who emphasized the importance of mentoring in staff development.
A panel discussion followed, focusing on how onboarding could be effectively designed through the collaboration of mentors, mentees, and school leaders. Various speakers shared their insights, including experiences from both primary and secondary school teachers, as well as principals who discussed their roles in supporting new educators.
Manfred Zentner delivered a keynote on the topic of “Generations in the School,” providing valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of education. The open space session allowed participants to engage in dialogue about mentoring, fostering discussions among school leaders, mentors, and mentees regarding their expectations and roles during the induction phase.
Johannes Dammerer concluded the event with a keynote on the idea that “new” should not be seen as a deficit but rather as a valuable resource for schools.
Throughout the event, the emphasis remained on the necessity of ongoing reflection. Instead of seeking definitive answers, the organizers intentionally encouraged new questions to emerge. The aim of mentoring, as highlighted, is not to provide rigid solutions but to support continuous learning and growth through dialogue, building stronger connections in the educational community.
