Ten third- and fourth-year Charles Sturt University (CSU) teaching students will spend three weeks from the end of October in the Solomon Islands gaining valuable professional experience to enhance their pre-service teacher education training.

 

This trip and others to comparable destinations are organised by Ms Margaret Hamilton, business development officer in the CSU Faculty of Education, who co-ordinates International Short-Term Programs for the Faculty.

 

“The Solomon Islands Professional Practicum Placement program is designed to provide Charles Sturt University students with the opportunity to participate in a truly diverse professional experience placement,” Ms Hamilton said. “By providing a structured and supported program, we aim to enhance our students’ cultural awareness while increasing their willingness to undertake placements in ‘alternative’ locations.”

 

The pre-service students from early childhood, primary, middle school, and secondary programs in the School of Teacher Education will spend three weeks living in a rural village in Munda Province, and teach in local village schools as a fully-credited professional experience placement, if completed satisfactorily.

 

“The students are required to participate in a comprehensive pre-departure orientation process that will develop their knowledge of the context in which they will be teaching,” Ms Hamilton said. “This includes cross-cultural issues, inter-cultural communication, effective teamwork, and approaches to teaching children who are using English as a second or foreign language.

 

“Mr Chris Woods, the professional experience coordinator in the Faculty of Education at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, who is the accompanying supervisor, will provide ongoing culturally sensitive support to the students during their placement, as well as providing professional learning opportunities for staff in the village schools.

 

“In the past, this program has proven that the skills, knowledge and attitudes that develop by participation in international placements enhance students’ employment opportunities, resilience, flexibility, and cross-cultural awareness, which are all necessary attributes of a well-rounded teacher.”

 

The students will travel together to the Solomon Islands on Sunday 27 October and return on Sunday 17 November. The first day there will be orientation, and day-two will be spent observing in schools. For the remaining period, students will undertake their professional experience placement. On weekends, students are free to take advantage of their location and enjoy activities such as snorkelling, and boat trips out to outer islands.

 

CSU has a long history of collaboration with education staff in the Solomon Islands, starting in the 1960s when Professor Bob Meyenn, the former Dean of Education at CSU predecessor institutions, accepted a volunteer placement as the principal of Goldie College through the Australian Volunteers Abroad program. Professor Meyenn has maintained close contact with the Solomon Islands since then, and in the 1980s the School of Teacher Education commenced professional experience placements for teacher education students in schools in Munda Province. The program was discontinued when the security situation in the Solomons deteriorated in the 1990s. Following Professor Meyenn’s recommendation, the program was revitalised in 2011. The Faculty secured funding from the former Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to support the development of the program. The Principal of Goldie College, Mr Dexter Lilo, was invited to visit Bathurst for meetings with Faculty of Education staff and with Mr Geoff Hastings, Principal, Dennison High Bathurst Campus. Bathurst High School staff visit Munda regularly to run professional development workshops for Solomon Island teachers.