A recent report, Experiences of Beginning Teachers, found that the teaching profession is “attracting graduates…who have a passion for making a difference to the lives of the learners with whom they work”. Other research, by the New South Wales Teachers Education Council (NSWTEC) found that student teachers are described by their principals as “fantastic”. So why is the quality of teacher training at Australian universities being questioned?
Experiences of Beginning Teachers, a research report funded by the national Joint Principals’ Associations, found that although 93 per cent of new teachers enjoy their job, 24 per cent say they will leave the profession within five years because they feel overwhelmed by their workloads and the bureaucratic requirements of the job.
”Teacher training is not to blame for the level of pressure associated with teaching on the job,” says Professor Jo-Anne Reid, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education at Charles Sturt University (CSU). Other problems that were identified, including that teachers prefer to work in urban areas and many have trouble finding full-time work, are likewise not related to teaching education.
“And yet some headlines are blaming teacher training,” says Professor Reid. The Experiences report also found that it is schools rather than universities that are more effective in relation to “teaching about teaching“, and that many new teachers did not feel well prepared in classroom management.
“Teaching is one of the very few professions where you are expected to walk out of your training and perform at the highest levels,” explains Professor Reid. “These teachers were all in their first two years, they were all beginners. That is the key point - beginning teachers do learn on the job,” Professor Reid says.
“In the NSWTEC study, principals said most of the student teachers they get are keen and well prepared to begin their work as professionals. The principals said that internship programs were excellent and effective for encouraging this on-the-job learning. Several NSW universities, including Charles Sturt University, have very good and effective internship programs and partnerships with schools and regions.
“This is absolutely consistent with the recommendations of the recent Top of the Class report commissioned by the Federal Government. That report does not fall for the cliché that teachers are not well prepared. Of course there are things that can be improved. But the issues of concern to emerge from the two reports are to do with industrial issues and working conditions, not teacher training. Yet the blame is being sheeted home to training, for which there is no basis.”
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