- Education
- 05/03/2025
EsoE trains internationals as teacher
"I want to show students that math is not that difficult"
A teacher shortage and a growing international community in the region: these two things should be possible to combine, according to Ruurd Taconis, teacher trainer at the Eindhoven School of Education. The first group of teachers with international roots who are eligible to work at Dutch secondary schools started their training last year; a second group followed in February. Turkish participant Sema Turkyucel talks about her experiences at Lorentz Casimir College.
Traditionally, TU/e’s teacher training program (ESoE) has been very much focused on Dutch candidates. However, the observation that there is a major teacher shortage in the Netherlands and the fact that the Brainport region attracts not only international employees but also their partners, got Taconis thinking. He sees the large group of “over ten thousand expat spouses” as an opportunity.
That is why ESoE started a “Bridging group” where participants are introduced to the Dutch education system and where cultural differences are bridged. The lessons are taught in Dutch. The first group consisted of six people from countries including Pakistan, India and Turkey. “We mainly focused on language proficiency,” says Taconis, looking back. “However, what we at ESoE learned is that dedication and communication skills are just as important. Does the teacher stand in front of the class with full confidence, or is there hesitation? How socially adept are you?”
It’s a big adventure for internationals to enter Dutch classrooms, Taconis thinks. “I sometimes hear from our participants that they find Dutch students arrogant or disobedient, but they may simply not be used to the outspokenness and active participation of Dutch children. That’s why we talk extensively about core themes such as the power distance between teachers and students in the Bridging Group.”
The teacher as guide
Sema Turkyucel (40) is no stranger to teaching mathematics. In fact, she spent ten years teaching math in Turkey. When she and her husband moved to the Netherlands in 2022, they chose Eindhoven as their new home. “We were not familiar with the city, but we knew there is a technical university and it’s the city of Philips and ASML. And there are many companies in the region.”
In Turkey, Turkyucel studied mechanical engineering for a year, but teaching is more appealing to her. “I want to show students that math is not that difficult; I want to help them. Anyone can learn math.”
This school year, she is volunteering one day a week at Lorentz Casimir College, assisting a math teacher, Ms. Elshout. The match was made by the Dutch Association of Mathematics Teachers, which Turkyucel reached out to. “I didn’t know anything about the Dutch education system but I was curious and looked up everything I could find on the Internet.”
“I help students in the first year and in senior grades of secondary school with their math assignments by answering their questions. I have also supervised tests. I feel really good at school.”
Bridging group
Ms. Elshout reached out to ESoE on behalf of Turkyucel. She joined the Bridging group in late January, along with eight others. “We exchange experiences and I really like the program. We talk about pedagogical issues and what is considered good behavior for a teacher in the Netherlands. We need to be both strong and kind. That’s more important than demanding a lot of respect.”
She explains that in Turkey, teachers have a lot of power. “Turkish parents want to provide all their children with the highest possible education. The children’s success is their parents’ success. A child’s education brings status. In the Netherlands, children get to develop themselves, and I think that’s wonderful. The student is at the center, and the teacher is more of a guide.”
Fast talkers
The most difficult part for the Turkish native is the language, though she has mastered the Dutch language exceptionally well since 2022. “Thanks to intensive online language courses.” She finds that teenagers speak extremely fast, which is still a bit tricky.
Turkyucel previously applied as a teaching assistant, but wasn’t hired. “With a diploma from ESoE, I’ll have a chance at a teaching job.” She hopes to spend many more years teaching math in Dutch secondary schools. And right after the spring break, she will start as a math tutor at SintLucas, a pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) school in Eindhoven.
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