Training and Development Management.

Training and Development Management Background The teaching profession has a fundamental role for the quality of education, because the teaching profession is one of the factors that determine the success of the learning process. Teachers have the main task of educating students, this main task will be effective if teachers are given targeted training and development. According to Law Number 14 of 2005, the competencies that teachers must have include pedagogical competence, personality competence, social competence, and professional competence. the four competencies in practice are an integral unit. Professional teachers should be able to master all four competencies. In relation to the quality of education, teacher competence has a positive relationship. The more teachers master the minimum competencies they must have, the quality of education will also improve. Therefore, in this paper, several teacher training and professional development programs from various countries, such as Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Russia, and Singapore, are presented. These six countries have their own differences and characteristics in providing training and development for the teaching profession in their respective countries. DISCUSSION Teacher Training and Professional Development in Finland Finland is a country that has succeeded in improving the quality of education number 1 in the world, it turns out that the key lies in the quality of its teachers. Teachers in Finland are the best quality teachers and get the best training. Quality teachers become one of the backgrounds of the success of education in Finland. The existence of quality teachers as a component in an education system, determines the quality of education as a whole. However, quality teachers are shaped by many factors. It is not only the level of education a teacher has taken, but the training and further development after the teacher has become a teacher. Therefore, here are the factors that lead to quality teachers in Finland: 1. Teacher Education Level Requirements To become a teacher in Finland, teachers must complete at least a master's degree. This applies not only to secondary schools but also to primary schools and kindergartens. To be able to teach in primary education (up to grade 9), classroom teachers must have a master's degree and master pedagogy. To master pedagogy, candidates must complete at least 60 credits of education and pedagogy courses. In addition, the prospective teacher must also master the methodology of teaching the specific subject that he or she is interested in and will teach such as Mathematics, English, Sports, or Science, each of which has a different teaching methodology. Therefore, it must be learned. In the pedagogy program, prospective teachers must also master the psychology of effective teaching across different age groups. The reason why teachers must have a master's degree and master pedagogy is because they will have the autonomy to implement the Finnish education curriculum. The reason This is because teachers are given the freedom to choose textbooks that suit their needs, organize teaching and assess learning outcomes independently and fairly. 2. Teacher Training and Development Program in Finland Teachers in Finland are of the highest quality and receive the best training. The training program held for teachers in Finland is an in-service training program, this program is a type of training held for teachers in Finland. With good quality input; recruited from the best candidates with S2 education level, the government still organizes further training based on the analysis of teacher needs and the development of science and technology. The training conducted by the government is generally related to policy changes or reforms in the education sector. In addition, a teacher also participates in further training on a tiered basis after the teacher is observed during his or her teaching career. Teachers in Finnish public schools receive special training to be able to assess a class of students using independent tests that they create themselves. Each child receives a report card at the end of each semester, but this report card is based on individual assessment by each teacher. Teachers are allowed to use contemporary learning methods and strategies based on class action research, self-designed curriculum and selected textbooks. Meanwhile, the development of teachers' professional potential is carried out through many methods, one of which is requiring prospective teachers to carry out learning at the university level through research and professional development training. The qualifications described can be imagined how qualified the teachers in Finland are. Teachers' efforts to develop their abilities are always fully supported by their government. This research and training is considered capable of directing teachers to be able to recognize shortcomings and find solutions to their own shortcomings so that they can provide good education for the students. learners. Teachers in Finland are always directed to have religious competence. The selection of learners does not go through very complicated qualifications. One of the main requirements is that learners must reach the age of 7, which is considered capable enough to do more physical and brain activity. This is the factor that causes quality teachers in Finland. And only qualified teachers can design and deliver quality teaching. Teacher Training and Professional Development in Japan a. Japan Country Japan is an island nation in East Asia. It is located at the western end of the Pacific Ocean, east of the Sea of Japan, and neighbors the People's Republic of China, South Korea, and Russia. The northernmost islands are in the Sea of Okhotsk, and the southernmost region is a group of small islands in the East China Sea, just south of Okinawa, which neighbors Taiwan (Republic of China). As an economically developed country, Japan has the second largest gross domestic product after the United States, and ranks among the top three in the balance of purchasing power. Education in Japan consists of primary and secondary education, and higher education was introduced in Japan in 1872 as a result of the Meiji Restoration. Since 1947, Japan's compulsory education program has required every citizen to attend 9 years of elementary and junior high school (from age 6 to 15). Among the population aged 15 and above, the literacy rate is 99%, males: 99%; female: 99% (2002). Almost all students go on to high school, and according to MEXT about 75.9% of high school graduates in 2005 went on to universities, colleges, technical schools, or other higher education institutions. Education in Japan is highly competitive, especially in college entrance exams. The top two ranked universities in Japan are University of Tokyo and Keio University. In the rankings compiled by the OECD's International Student Assessment Program, the knowledge and skills of Japanese 15-year-olds rank sixth best in the world. b. Teacher Professional Development in Japan One of the education reform agendas in Japan is to improve the quality of teaching staff at the primary and secondary education levels. In the reform plan compiled by the National Commission of Educational Reform (NCER) in "The Raibow Plan" in 2001, Point 5 states that professional teachers are produced in several ways, including the implementation of teacher evaluations, giving awards and bonuses to outstanding teachers, as well as a conducive work atmosphere to improve the work ethic of teachers, and training for teachers who are not proficient in their fields. To implement this decision, the Central Educational Council issued the "shin kyouka seido" (new teacher evaluation system) in 2002 and the "kyouinmenkyou koushin seido" (teaching certification reform) in 2006. The Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology (MEXT) subsequently drafted implementing regulations, and by 2005 about 88% of prefectures had implemented them (Hayo, 2006). There are two points implied in both policies: the need to develop a teacher evaluation system and a feasibility test for the current certification system. Despite protests from educators, especially those who are members of the Teacher Union, teacher evaluation has been implemented in almost all prefectures. Meanwhile, the teaching license renewal policy is still being socialized. The influence in the field of education personnel management is mainly seen in teacher evaluation policies, teacher certification, teacher pay systems, and the qualifications of education personnel which are becoming increasingly stringent. To ensure In order to ensure that teachers have the basic skills to teach, and as a form of accountability for the quality of education guaranteed to consumers, teacher certification has been implemented in various countries since several decades ago. The importance of teacher certification in Japan came to the fore in Masameiji when the Law for Certification of Educational Personnel was passed in 1849. This legislation was revised several times until 1988. Kobayashi (1993) explains that this legislation shows that the centralized government still has a strong influence in the field of education. Policies on teacher development were legally regulated by the ministry of education and implemented in a top-down manner by the lower layers of administrators. The implementation of the teacher evaluation policy, which is assigned to the Kyouikuiinkai or the Board of education in each prefecture and monitored directly by the MEX, has led to the policy being perceived as rootless. Teacher evaluations are needed as a parameter to measure teacher achievement and as a starting point for further development of teacher education programs. Teacher evaluation is also part of a person's professional cycle when he or she decides to enter the teaching profession. Despite its original purpose of improving the quality of education in schools, the teacher evaluation policy is also colored by politics involving bureaucrats and party infighting. In the old teacher evaluation system (kinmuhyoutei), assessments were based on the results of the supervisor's or principal's judgment alone, so the objectivity and correctness of the assessment could not be accounted for. Therefore, many people, including teacher unions, opposed this method. The new teacher evaluation system is characterized by two components: selfevaluation (jikohyouka) and assessment by the principal. Self-assessment aims to encourage teachers to be committed to the plans and goals they write down, as well as to help teachers understand where their weaknesses and strengths or potential need to be improved or developed. The assessment of teacher quality by the principal and his deputy has an impact on salary determination, career development and teacher morale. That is, teachers who receive unfavorable assessments will try to improve themselves and the quality of their work. According to a report from the Nagano Prefectural Teacher Evaluation System Review Committee, there are several points that are set as targets for assessment: 1. Assessments are based on teachers' academic qualifications, and classroom teaching activities are based on teaching guidelines issued by MEXT. 2. Guidance and coaching to students in the form of direction about student development and daily habits and class handling. In this case every teacher is required to understand the child's soul, attitude, behavior and physical and spiritual development, and be able to direct it to learning habits and enthusiasm for life. 3. Ability to direct students based on their abilities, talents and academic skills, both personally and in collaboration with the child's family. 4. Ability to foster children to work together in special activities or events outside of school hours. 5. Teachers' role in school management, ability to cooperate with peers, understand and strive to achieve school goals. 6. Teachers' ability to foster cooperation with parents and community members. 7. Teachers' enthusiasm and motivation to develop themselves and increase their potential through research and training activities. c. Teacher Certification in Japan How is the certification system implemented? Unlike in Indonesia, teacher certification in Japan is through a system of lectures with a standardized curriculum and tests. In Indonesia, the government, with the intention of reducing the budget and making it easier for teachers to obtain certificates, implemented a portfolio system. According to the 1998 Teacher Certification Act, every prospective teacher must undergo teacher education at a university or college that has been accredited by MEXT. As of 2003, 85% of universities in Japan were accredited to provide teacher education. In 2003, 60% of primary school teachers graduated from teacher education programs run by universities, academies or high schools, while 60% of junior high school teachers and 80% of senior high school teachers graduated from nonteaching universities. d. Teacher Training Scholarship Program 2021 in Japan The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho/MEXT) is offering a scholarship program designed specifically for teachers to improve the quality of teaching in their fields. Scholarship recipients will study at universities in Japan, and will receive training in teaching methods, creating effective lesson plans, and other things that can improve the quality and abilities of teachers. This is a non-degree program and the duration of study is 1 year and 6 months (including the first 6 months of Japanese language study) from September or October 2021 to March 2023. 1. Scholarship Coverage • Full tuition fees until program completion. •A living allowance of ± ¥143,000 (± Rp 19.5 million) per month. • Round-trip airfare (PP) Indonesia - Japan. • Free student visa issuance. • Dormitory fees will be paid from the living allowance provided. 2. Requirements • Maximum 34 years old on April 1, 2021 (born on or after April 2, 1986). • Graduate at least D4 or S1. • A teacher (civil servant, private, or honorary) who is actively teaching in formal education institutions, namely elementary, junior high, high school or equivalent, and special schools. • Applicants have at least 5 years of teaching experience as of October 1, 2021 in formal education institutions. • All subject areas are offered except Civics, Indonesian Language, Regional Language, Arabic Language, Religious Education, and Hospitality. • Physically and mentally healthy. • Proficiency in English or Japanese. • Applicants must immediately return to Indonesia and continue their career as a teacher after the end of the teacher training scholarship program. If after completing the scholarship program, the applicant does not apply his/her experience as a teacher, then the applicant must return all scholarship benefits received. 3. Document Requirements • 1 printout of the online registration confirmation email containing the applicant's exam number. • Registration form. • Research Plan of at least 150 words in English or at least 300 characters in Japanese. • 1 recent color photograph (taken within the last 6 months) with a size of 3×4. • 1 placement preference application form. • 1 copy of grade transcript. • 1 photocopy of the last education certificate. • 1 letter from your place of teaching explaining that you are an active teaching staff. • 1 letter of recommendation. • 1photocopy of certificate of foreign language proficiency (such as TOEFL/IELTS/TOEIC/JLPT and the like) if any. Teacher Training and Professional Development in Malaysia a. Country Malaysia Malaysia is a federal country consisting of thirteen negeri (states) and three federal territories in Southeast Asia with an area of 329,847 square kilometers. The capital is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The country had a population of 30,697,000 in 2015. The country is separated into two regions - West Malaysia and East Malaysia - by the Natuna Islands, an Indonesian territory in the South China Sea. Malaysia borders Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. The country is located near the equator and has a tropical climate. The head of state of Malaysia is a King or a Sultan who is elected in rotation every 5 years, only the countries (states) ruled by the King/Sultan are allowed to send their representatives to become the King of Malaysia. The King of Malaysia usually wears the title Sri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong. and the government is headed by a Sultan. Prime Minister. Malaysia's model of government is similar to the Westminster parliamentary system. Education in Malaysia is monitored by the Education Ministry of the Federal Government. Most Malaysian children start school at the age of three to six, in kindergartens. Most kindergartens are privately run, but there are a few government-run kindergartens. Children start primary school at age seven for the next six years. There are two main types of government-run or government-assisted primary schools. Native language schools (Nationality Type Schools) use Chinese or Tamil as the language of instruction. Before proceeding to the secondary stage of education, students in Grade 6 are required to take the Primary School Achievement Test (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah, UPSR). A program called Stage One Assessment, PTS was used to measure the ability of bright students, and allowed them to advance from grade 3 to grade 5, skipping grade 4. However, this program was abolished in 2001. b. Training and Professional Development in Malaysia The training and development of teachers in Malaysia can be said to be better than that of Indonesia. This is evident in the order of competitiveness at the global level where Malaysia is ranked 26th while Indonesia is 44th. Teachers must participate in training and education for about 40 hours per year for tiered training funded by the state. Teachers who are able to develop themselves and excel are rewarded, both in career paths and incentives. Teachers have begun to change their traditional ways of teaching with new and creative ways. In fact, teachers have been directed to master digital technology. The education budget in Malaysia is around 22-24 percent of the total budget. The military budget is even smaller. To become a teacher in Malaysia, the qualification must be S1 (for primary to high school teachers), the education is obtained at the Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) if you want to become a primary school teacher (here called low school) or at the faculty of education at the university if you want to become a junior and senior high school teacher (called high school). For IPG, it is under the Ministry of Lessons Malaysia (KPM), while for university faculties of education, the parent is the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT). What will be discussed further is the scope of teacher education in universities under KPT (where I make my living, also because I don't know much about IPG). The eligibility of cikgu in Malaysia to become S1 as it is now was done gradually and the transformation of qualification changes from diploma graduates took place smoothly since the 1990s with further education programs for in-service teachers. One thing that is unique in Malaysia compared to Indonesia is that the education programs and departments (to produce junior and senior high school teachers) at the university level are all managed by public universities (in 13 out of 20 public universities in Malaysia), the Malaysian government does not give much discretion to private universities [the same is actually true for prospective primary school teachers, all IPGs are owned and managed by KPM]. What routinely happens every year in connection with the recruitment of prospective education students is that the KPM records the number of teacher shortages per subject area projected for the next four or five years (the time it takes to educate a teacher). Once this figure has been obtained, for junior and senior high school teachers, it is given to the KPT, who then distributes it to the 13 universities that have faculties of education in accordance with the requested study program/major. Once a quota has been secured, universities usually offer courses to prospective students who have passed preuniversity education (matriculation or STPM); where selection is done administratively, eligibility is only assessed by previous academic performance (national exam results). In addition, there is an interview test with prospective students that is centered in one university in each state near the student's domicile (even if they want to study in another state), specifically to find out their personality, communication skills and study interests; even if they have good academic performance, if they fail the interview test, they will not be accepted. Teacher Training and Professional Development in New Zealand a. Country of New Zealand New Zealand is an archipelago, divided into two islands, namely the north and south islands, their major cities are only four, namely Wellington (which is the Capital and Government Center) and Auckland on the north island, then Christchurch and Dunedin on the south island. The latest data shows that the population in this country is around 4.8 million people (2016) with an area of 268,680 km2, of course it is still very rare when compared to Indonesia, and this country is famous as the world's largest producer of beef and sheep and milk, the ratio of the number of humans and sheep in New Zealand is 1: 20. This country is also known as the "Slice of Paradise" because of its beautiful and pristine natural beauty and cool air. The beauty and preservation of the natural panorama in this country. Empirically, New Zealand is one of the countries that has a good level of education in the world and has an education system and disciplinary character that is almost evenly distributed in each region. New Zealand may be a small country, but there are many reasons that make it an ideal place to study. Although it is a very small country, New Zealand is famous for its beautiful landscape, so it offers many charming panoramas and natural attractions. One of the countries that New Zealand dominates in absorbing students from other countries. There are many reasons why students choose to study in New Zealand, one of which is the quality of education. As it is known that the education system in New Zealand has been recognized as excellent by various international surveys, including the program for international student assessment, Programme For International Student Assessment (PISA). According to him, the No. 1 best education system in the world is New Zealand. b. Education System New Zealand has 3 levels: • Early childhood education - from birth to school entry age 0-5 years. • Primary and secondary education - from 5 to 19 years. • Further education - higher education. Schooling in New Zealand starts from the age of five (5), and the academic year runs from January to December. In general, the length of primary and secondary education in New Zealand is 13 years. Primary School is up to 8 years, then Secondary School is up to year 13. Compulsory education in New Zealand is up to 10 years. After 10 years, students can progress to a Diploma to explore a particular skill. If students continue to Secondary School until completion, they will get the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualification which is recognized throughout New Zealand. 2.4.3.Education Institutions and Curriculum The New Zealand Ministry of Education (NZME) is the institution that regulates policies in education. The curriculum in New Zealand is a general curriculum that focuses on individualized and small group learning. Because it only covers general matters, schools are given the opportunity to modify the curriculum according to the needs of each school. In addition, outdoor education is also one of the focal points of the curriculum in New Zealand. c. Training and Education Model in New Zealand TAMAN ("Garden") is a training program for vocational school educators. This program is organized by the New Zealand Government through Auckland University of Technology. The participants are outstanding teachers and principals. It takes place at Auckland University of Technology. TAMAN in the sense of a garden means the condition of the place of vocational education that we have and that exists in New Zealand. Education is like a garden, it provides growth and provision for life. One of the general objectives of this training includes improving the competence of educators and education personnel through vocational teacher training programs, especially in the fields of maritime, agriculture, creative economy, renewable energy, automotive, tourism industry, design, and beauty care. Specific objectives: 1. Understand how vocational education works in New Zealand. 2. Get to know the culture and culture and daily life in New Zealand, especially in the field of education. 3. Networking and communication between several parties in New Zealand. 4. Share the knowledge or results gained from the training with as many fellow teachers as possible. According to the Ambassador of New Zealand Mr. Tantowi Yahya "New Zealand is a developed country and is known as a country that has excellence in the field of vocational education from high school, diploma to doctoral level which is designed to be connected to the world of work or industry. Vocational education in New Zealand dates back to 1874, starting with industrial schools catering to the poor and the abandoned, then continued to develop in 1902 - 1980s into technical colleges and then many similar schools emerged from school community initiatives, therefore the New Zealand government officially launched the "Vocational Pathway" education model. Vocational Pathways is a framework to guide students through education to work, by showing them how relevant learning is and how it can help in securing future employment opportunities. Vocational Pathways helps students to discover what skills they need to get the job/career they love. The concept helps educators, families and industry work together with students, so that students can build on their own skills and talents to find the jobs they want. There are 6 (six) areas of Vocational Pathways developed in New Zealand, including: 1) Primary industry. 2) Creative industry. 3) Service industry. 4) Social community service. 5) Manufacture and Technology. 6) Construction and infrastructure. Through vocational pathway education programs provide opportunities and challenges for students from all learning areas to earn NCEAs (New Zealand's National Certificates of Educational Achievement). NCEAs are national qualifications for secondary school student achievement. NCEAs and other national certificates are recognized by employers/industry and used as benchmarks for selection by universities and polytechnics. In addition to studying the vocational pathway education model in New Zealand, the program also provides training to teachers, principals and facilitators (widyaiswara) on pedagogics and leadership. Some of the pedagogical concepts developed are: 1) Inquiry thinking. 2) Literacy. 3) Numeracy 4) Teaching strategies (modeling, telling, explaining, directing, authentic learning, scaffolding, questioning/prompting, active learning, giving feedback). Through the training, participants can also learn and see the practice of how to be a good vocational education teacher, including teachers must have dedication and passion for their field, good facilitators, good communicators, motivators and leaders, creative and problem solvers, mutual respect, continuous learners, competent in their knowledge and teaching methods, and be a good listener. The results of this training are expected to produce good seeds (students) for parks in Indonesia when they return to their respective schools, through the information and treatments obtained during the training. d. Teacher Professional Development in New Zealand New Zealand's Minister of Education is responsible for the professional development of teachers, including : 1) Funding professional development program providers; 2) Provide school operational funds, some of which can be used for the professional development of their teachers; 3) Other funding. Types of professional development include, for example, the School Improvement Initiative's provision of scholarships for teachers; 4) Supervision: Providing professional development and evaluating development initiatives; and 5) Compile and provide evidence of professional development effectiveness (Office of the Auditor-General, 2008, p. 17). The Professional teacher standard consists of six key points, namely: 1. Understanding and recognizing the uniqueness of New Zealand's indigenous peoples. 2. Professional learning: the use of inquiry learning and collaborative problem solving to enhance professional skills that will impact on the learning and achievement of all students. 3. Professional relationships: building and maintaining relationships and professional behaviors that focus on the learning and well-being of each student. 4. Learning-focused culture: developing a learning-focused culture characterized by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety. 5. Learning design based on curriculum and pedagogy, assessment information and understanding of each student's strengths, interests, needs, identity, language and culture; and. 6. Teaching and responding to students' ways of being knowledgeable and adaptive to advance their learning at an appropriate depth and pace. Some researchers have investigated the impact of teacher professional development in New Zealand: 1. Professional development on student achievement, classroom practice, and teacher and student perceptions (Hynds et al., 2016). 2. Explored the effects of a three-week Chinese language, language and pedagogy reinforcement program. Also found substantial impact on teaching beliefs and teaching practices, especially on the use of the target language and teaching methodology (Biebricher, 2015). 3. Network strengthening. 4. Tailoring learning to student and school conditions, and strengthening facilitator skills (Starkey et al., 2009). To ensure that teachers remain professional, New Zealand applies annual assessments to teachers to see the results and impact of the process. (New Zealand MOE, 2010; Timperley, Wilson, Barrar, & Fung, 2007). Teacher Training and Professional Development in Russia a. Country Russia The Russian Federation, commonly referred to as Russia, is a sovereign nation that sprawls across eastern Europe and northern Asia. With an area of 17,125,200 km², Russia is the largest country in the world. Covering one-eighth of the earth's land area, it is the ninth most populous country in the world with approximately 146 million inhabitants (March 2016) Its territory stretches across North Asia and parts of eastern Europe, Russia has 11 time zones and its territory is made up of a variety of environments and soil types. From northwest to southeast, Russia is bordered by Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both bordering Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and North Korea. The country shares sea borders with Japan on the Sea of Okhotsk and the US state of Alaska on the Bering Strait. The education system in Russia includes kindergartens (from infant age 1 to advanced kindergarten from age 3), secondary schools (from age 7), "gymnasiums" (a kind of secondary school with a broader curriculum), schools and vocational schools, colleges (institutes, universities and academies). Secondary schools consist of 3 years of primary school, 6 years of primary secondary school and 2 years of full secondary school. There are specialized secondary schools where certain subjects are emphasized, e.g. languages, mathematics, physics and others. Colleges follow the Western system and have two levels: BA (4 years) and MA (2 years) but most remain in line with the Western system. The old system was without BA and MA degrees (graduates were given qualifications only, e.g. school teacher, translator, engineer etc.) with 5-6 years of study. The number of public universities (1994) was more than 40, with 80 specialized universities (engineering, medical, teaching, agriculture) that used to be institutes only and more than 30 private universities. Russia has one of the best college graduate rates in the world, at 54%. Russia has a free education system guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution, but admission to subsidized higher education is highly competitive. As a result of its science- and technology-oriented education, medical, mathematics, natural sciences and aviation education in Russia is generally of good quality. b. Training and Professional Development of Young Teachers in Russia The training and professional development of young teachers in Russia is arguably much better than in Indonesia, as it focuses on on-site training to effectively combine theory and practice. In addition to the training provided, there are also academic courses with an emphasis on research methods and modern teaching practices. This training takes about a year and is conducted within schools that have university links. The training is designed to help teachers develop and try out innovative methods and techniques and engage in their own research on learning in dynamic classrooms. The levels of professional teacher education, induction and professional development programs should be interconnected to provide continuous learning for teachers. Other countries apply to teacher education not limited to database building and teaching comprehensive subjectrelated knowledge. In the Training & development of young teachers in Russia, emphasizing the ability to analyze students' learning mechanisms and conditions allows teachers (mentors) to adapt to students' needs. who are falling behind, experiencing conflict with peers or needing support in other ways. In addition, in Russia teacher training provides mentoring to young teachers, mentoring is widely used in providing clinical practice for teaching. It is aimed at motivating young teachers, and modeling attitudes for young teachers. There is also training & development provided to young teachers in Russia in the form of seminars conducted by experts, visits/observations to different schools, qualification programs, participating in senior teacher networks. Being a young teacher in Russia also means being prepared to receive diverse feedback from parents, which is aimed at improving the skills of the young teachers themselves. Teacher Training and Professional Development in Singapore a. Singapore Country Singapore (official name: Republic of Singapore) is an island nation off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to the north, and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Straits of Singapore to the south. Singapore is the world's third leading financial center and a cosmopolitan world city that plays an important role in international trade and finance. The Port of Singapore is one of the five busiest ports in the world. Singapore has a long history of immigration. Its diverse population numbers approximately 6 million, comprising Chinese, Malays, Indians, Arabs, various Asian ancestries, and Caucasians. 42% of Singaporeans are foreigners working and studying there. Foreign workers make up 50% of the service sector. The country is the second most populous in the world after Monaco. Education in Singapore is managed by the Singapore Ministry of Education, which controls the development and administration of public schools that accept government funding, but also has an advisory and supervisory role in the case of private schools. In 2000 the Compulsory Education Law codified compulsory education for children of primary school age (except for those with special needs), and made it a criminal offense for parents to fail to enroll their children in school and ensure their attendance. Exemptions are granted for full-time home schools or religious institutions, but parents must apply for exemptions from the Ministry of Education and meet minimum benchmarks. The primary language of instruction in Singapore is English, which was officially designated as the first language in the local education system in 1987. Students enter primary school at age 7 and continue their education for six years, at the end of which they take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). There are four subjects in primary school: English, math, science and mother tongue. All subjects are taught and tested in English except "mother tongue" which is taught and tested in Malay, Mandarin (Chinese) or Tamil. After elementary school, students enter secondary school for four to five years. There are many subjects offered in secondary school, including English, mother tongue, geography, history, basic math, upper level math, chemistry, physics, biology, French and Japanese. At the end of secondary school, students sit the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level examinations and the results determine the type of post-secondary education pathway they will pursue. After the O-level examinations at around 16 years of age, students normally enter a Junior College, Centralized Institute or Polytechnic. Programs at Junior Colleges and Centralized Institutes lead to GCE A level examinations after two or three years. b. Teacher Training and Development in Singapore Singapore is currently considered one of the best performing countries in education worldwide, based on indicators such as student grades in international comparisons, graduation rates, and the percentage of students who go on to higher education. Singapore currently offers a wide variety of professional development opportunities for teachers from all areas and levels of education, from early childhood education to higher education. The teaching profession in Singapore is highly respected. Society understands that teachers play an important role in the development and progress of the nation. Hence, recruitment to become a teacher is chosen with great care. In terms of teacher professional development, a teacher is entitled to 100 hours of professional development per year. The costs associated with teacher professional development are fully funded by the Singapore Ministry of Education. In Singapore there are 3 main providers of professional development for primary and secondary school teachers. One of them is the National Institute of Education (NIE) which is the main organizer of graduate degree courses and programs in education for beginning teachers, in instructional leadership for more senior professors, and in educational leadership for department heads, deputy directors and directors. The methodology of teacher professional development courses and programs at NIE includes classroom lectures by specialists, practical workshops, project and field work, action research, and a wide variety of activities that require a great deal of individual work as a group. The second teacher professional development provider is the Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST), AST was established by Singapore's Ministry of Education in 2010. The Academy of Singapore Teachers brings together teachers from different schools and provides them with opportunities for collaborative learning. More specifically, the Academy of Singapore Teachers is designed to facilitate teachers to discuss and share innovative pedagogical practices, thereby raising quality standards in various disciplines and fostering a strong culture of professional exchange and collaboration led by teachers themselves. One example of an activity recently conducted by Academy of Singapore Teachers, a series of lesson study workshops that will model more structured or formalized teacher professional development activities. These workshops are geared towards primary and secondary science teachers with the aim of supporting their reflection and discussion processes in their respective schools. Another example is the "Structured Mentoring Program", where novice teachers receive support and guidance from more experienced colleagues. A more informal teacher professional development activity is learning communities. These learning communities are made up of NIE research staff, Singapore education specialists, and professors and researchers. The general purpose of these learning communities is to train teachers in conducting action research projects, a specialized form of school research where teachers discuss and reflect on pedagogical problems and where they find their own solutions to improve teaching and learning. Action research requires teachers to systematically observe teaching and learning situations. Action research cycles generally follow the structure of a problem-solving procedure, which consists of five steps, namely (1) problem identification and definition; (2) improvement planning; (3) implementation of teaching and learning activities; (4) observation of results (data collection); (5) reflection on results. After the action research cycle is completed, the group writes a reflective journal summarizing the procedures, results, conclusions and implications of the research. The Academy of Singapore Teachers also facilitates a forum where teachers can share the results of their research. The action research process with different teacher members and researchers usually helps teachers to improve their reflective and investigative skills. With the support of school leaders, this professional development experience has great potential to train teachers to lead pedagogical and curricular innovation in schools. The third major provider of teacher professional development is the school. Much of Singapore's primary and secondary school teacher professional development is produced within the schools themselves. Led by leaders schools and with the support of the Academy of Singapore Teachers, the Professional Development Community provides structures and resources for Singapore teachers to participate in a wide variety of research-based professional development practices, such as action research, lesson study and various study circles focused on different themes. One of the most widespread practices within the Professional Development Community in Singapore is action research