The practice of teaching is associated with uncertainty. For teachers, this uncertainty is reflected in the everyday compulsion to make decisions that are expressed in Critical Incidents. These decisions are characterized by the fact that there are rarely right or wrong solutions. On the other hand, due to the compulsion to act in the situation, these decisions cannot be mastered in a rational choice mode. In contrast to other professionals such as counsellors (e.g. therapists), teachers are often forced to decide immediately in the situation and for themselves (e.g. safety in physical education). Teacher training has long reacted to this systematic uncertainty with excessive planning routines. Although planning can prepare for critical incidents by anticipating different alternatives, the decision as such cannot be premeditated. An approach to didactics that starts with the evaluation of lessons and is based on empirical cases (Craig, You, & Oh, 2013) can help to develop and improve decision-making processes in critical incidents. In a narrative mode of thinking, corresponding decision patterns (Vogler, 2019) are identified and also trained. Case work has established itself as a practice of teacher education, which replaces presenting best practice by analysing critical incidents through dense description. This case work is intended to promote and train a pattern recognition process (Neuweg & Fothe n. d.). In contrast to a paradigmatic mode of thinking that rather modulates declarative knowledge, this form of case work supports the handling of uncertainty in a narrative mode of thinking. This mode of thinking, which goes back to Bruner (1965), differs from an "academic" paradigmatic mode of thinking which is not effective in the practice of everyday life and teaching. The narrative mode of thought has also empirically shown to be an essential component of decision making in the classroom (Messmer, 2011). Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) – especially in Germany and Switzerland – can look back at a long tradition of case work, which is why examples from PE will also be presented and discussed in the symposium.

Bruner, J. S. (1965) The process of education. (8th print.). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Craig, C. J. / You, J. / Oh, S. (2013) Collaborative curriculum making in the physical education vein: a narrative inquiry of space, activity and relationship. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45/2, 169-197. doi:10.1080/00220272.2012.732118 Messmer, R. (2011) Ordnungen der Alltagserfahrung – Neue Ansätze zum Theorie-Praxisbezug und zur Fallarbeit in der Lehrerbildung. [Routines of experiences of the ordinary]. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag. Neuweg, G. H. / Fothe, S. (2011) In Search of the Golden Mean: The Ambivalence of Knowledge Explication. Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, 9/4, 340-352. Vogler, J. (2019) Professionelle Entscheidungen in kritischen Situationen des Sportunterrichts (PCK 2.0). [Professional Decisions in Critical Incidents of PE]. Basel: PhD thesis (submitted)