The only nationwide association of mathematics teachers in the Czech Republic is SUMA – the Society of Mathematics Teachers, which operates as a branch of the Union of Czech Mathematicians and Physicists (JČMF) – the Czech adhering organization to IMU.
SUMA organizes several professional conferences for teachers, including Meeting of Mathematics Teachers of All Types and Levels of Schools, Two Days with Mathematics Education, Teaching Mathematics with Computers, How to Teach Mathematics to Students Aged 10–16, Conference of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers. These events are organized annually or biennially and typically attract 120–200 participants.
The ICMI representative for the Czech Republic is usually proposed by SUMA and confirmed by the JČMF board.
There is no standalone institute for mathematics education research in the Czech Republic. Research in this field is carried out at faculties that educate future teachers – typically faculties of education or science at Czech universities.
Journals for Mathematics Education Research
There are three Czech journals related to mathematics education: Učitel matematiky (Teacher of Mathematics), Matematika–fyzika–informatika (Mathematics–Physics–Informatics), Rozhledy matematicko-fyzikální (Horizons in Mathematics and Physics – for secondary school students). All are published in cooperation between JČMF and Czech universities. However, they mostly publish papers aimed at practicing teachers.
Research articles in mathematics education can be published in Scientia in educatione, the only journal focusing on mathematics and science education research. There are also journals on educational research in general, where sometimes a paper on mathematics education research is published (Pedagogika, Orbis scholae, Studia paedagogica).
All teachers must hold a Master’s degree. Teacher education is provided by public universities only.
Lower and upper secondary teachers study two subjects (e.g., mathematics and physics) in a 3-year Bachelor’s (180 ECTS) + 2-year Master’s program (120 ECTS). Both levels conclude with a final state exam and a thesis defense.
Elementary school teachers are generalists and complete a 5-year Master’s degree.
Mathematics education at primary and secondary levels is based on national curricular documents called Framework Educational Programs (RVP). These are issued by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the new versions are available in Czech only.
The RVPs are general in nature – they set learning outcomes and basic content, but do not prescribe teaching methods and concrete content. Each school then creates its own School Educational Program (ŠVP) based on the national framework.
Official site with curricular documents (in Czech): https://www.edu.cz/rvp
RVP for pre-primary education
RVP for basic education
RVPs for secondary grammar schools