What is it like to stand in front of a classroom? FPE students experienced school reality

Handling the first lesson, keeping a class engaged, and responding to unexpected situations. Teaching comes with a range of challenges. This year, nearly four hundred students from the Faculty of Education at the University of West Bohemia experienced it firsthand.

Teaching, supervision duties, and cooperation with other teachers. A total of 376 students from follow-up master’s degree programmes in Teacher Education at the Faculty of Education, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (FPE), completed their teaching practice at lower-secondary and upper-secondary schools this year. As part of their continuous practice, they taught a total of 40 lessons, and during their final teaching practice, another 20 lessons. They also experienced the realities of school life, including some challenging moments.

“Teaching practice is the moment when students fully step into the role of a teacher for the first time. They realize that teaching is not just about a prepared plan, but about the ability to respond to specific situations in the classroom and work with diverse pupils,” explained Lenka Benediktová, Vice-Dean for Lifelong Learning and Teaching Practice at FPE UWB. The faculty has long been developing cooperation with schools and supports trained mentor teachers as well as other educators involved in preparing future teachers. This year, 48 mentor teachers and many other educators from partner schools worked with the students, helping them manage both teaching demands and classroom dynamics.

“Practice shows that students very quickly become part of school teams. For many of them, it is a crucial experience that influences their future professional direction,” Benediktová added. According to a 2025 survey conducted by FPE, 71% of teacher education students are already teaching during their studies, partly due to the long-term teacher shortage and the high demand from schools. According to Benediktová, teaching practice is an irreplaceable source of experience in teacher education and will receive even greater emphasis in the future. New framework requirements from the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports will require students to complete significantly more hours of teaching practice. The change aims to ensure that newly qualified teachers enter schools confident and better prepared.