Working in tandem for better teaching

This year’s Lehr:werkstatt programme came to a successful conclusion on 14 July 2026 with a formal certificate presentation ceremony at the University Library in Würzburg. A total of 18 teacher training students from the secondary school and grammar school programmes, as well as 18 teachers from secondary schools and grammar schools in Lower Franconia, received their certificates of completion. The event recognised the great commitment of all those involved and highlighted the importance of close cooperation between the university and schools for practical and future-oriented teacher training.

The ‘Lehr:werkstatt’ is a collaborative project between the University of Würzburg and the offices of the Ministerial Representatives for Realschulen and Gymnasien in Lower Franconia, and has been held annually since the 2012/13 academic year. Over the course of a school year, it combines intensive practical experience in schools with an accompanying academic module at the Chair of School Pedagogy. There, students reflect on their experiences and use them to develop ideas for their own professional practice. The programme is coordinated by the Professional School of Education (PSE).

Tandems of teachers and students

At the heart of the Lehr:werkstatt are tandems comprising experienced teachers and teacher-training students. Together, they plan, design and reflect on lessons, benefiting from their differing perspectives. Whilst the teachers gain fresh inspiration for their teaching practice and can pass on their many years of experience, the students gain valuable insights into their future profession, take on their first responsibilities in the classroom and gain important practical experience at an early stage.

The programme was complemented by three skills workshops for teachers and students. Topics such as relationship-based teaching, dealing professionally with classroom disruptions, and the TaC Toolbox developed as part of the ‘Teachers as Changemakers’ project provided practical ideas for successful teaching. It became clear that strong relationships are a key prerequisite for successful learning and constructive collaboration.

Toolbox for the challenges of everyday school life

In the workshop on dealing with classroom disruptions, participants were able to learn about and try out specific strategies. With the TaC Toolbox, they were provided with a versatile collection of methods for tackling various challenges of everyday school life – from designing discussion formats to planning and carrying out their own projects. In this way, the Teaching Workshop specifically strengthens the transfer of theory into practice and supports the professional development of trainee teachers.

The closing event was deliberately held in cooperation with the University Library of Würzburg, which has for decades been recognised for its successful educational work with schools and has been awarded the ‘Libraries – Partners of Schools’ seal of approval. As a long-standing educational partner, the University Library offers a comprehensive portfolio of courses. This includes both courses held on-site at the library and e-learning materials which teachers can integrate into their lessons. The focus is on supporting W-seminars. For particularly challenging topics, the Würzburg University Library also offers bespoke advice on literature research.

The event concluded with a ceremony at which certificates were presented to the teachers and students. The combination of a specialist programme, insights into the University Library and the personal recognition of the participants lent the closing event a special atmosphere. At the same time, it once again underlined the importance of collaboration between the university, schools and other educational partners for future-oriented teacher training.

Contact

Lore Koerber-Becker, Teaching Workshop Coordinator at the PSE
T +49 931 31 81442, lore.koerber-becker@uni-wuerzburg.de

Dr Matthias Erhardt, Managing Director of PSE
T +49 931 31 89188, matthias.erhardt@uni-wuerzburg.de