Switzerland: Diversity in the Classroom, Uniformity in the Faculty

Abstract

AbstractSwitzerland is a country with a long immigration history. Today, 27% of all pupils in compulsory education are foreign nationals (Federal Statistical Office (FSO) Switzerland, Obligatorische Schule: Lernende nach Grossregion, Schulkanton, Bildungstyp und Staatsangehörigkeit (je-d-15.02.01.05). Retrieved from https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bildung-wissenschaft/personen-ausbildung/obligatorische-schule.assetdetail.11787900.html, 2020). On the other hand, teachers of immigrant background constitute a small minority even though the demand for teachers is high, with secure jobs that pay well. Moreover, there is a debate on the question whether teachers with an immigrant background are especially qualified for teaching culturally diverse classes. Given that persons with an immigrant background tend to aspire to higher educational and occupational goals than non-immigrant individuals (Van De Werfhorst & Van Tubergen, Ethnicities 7(3):416–444, 2007), the question arises why individuals with an immigrant background do not choose to become teachers more often.In light of this question, we provide an overview of studies from Switzerland and examine transitions of individuals into and out of Universities of Teacher Education in Switzerland as well as studies concerning active teachers.We will discuss current research evidence, that suggests that social background as well as motivations for choosing the fields of study (which usually play a significant role in explaining differing educational decisions) do not provide an explanation for the low enrolment rate into teacher education among students with immigrant background. Evidence indicates that dichotomizing into immigrant and non-immigrant might conceal differences in attitudes which particularly those from stigmatized cultural backgrounds face. These findings are highlighted by empirical insights on practicing teachers who experience a lack of recognition and who develop a range of strategies in response to these experiences.