Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
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Diane Morgan, one of the original EIT Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) graduates pictured at Frimley School in 2022.
A newly released report by the Education Review Office (ERO) which has found time spent in school enhanced new teachers’ feelings of readiness around the job, aligns with EIT’s approach to the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), says Associate Professor Emily Nelson.
‘Ready, Set, Teach’ canvassed new teachers, their principals, school leaders, and mentors to find out how well prepared and supported new teachers are.
Associate Professor Emily Nelson, Programme Coordinator of the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), says the degree at EIT has been graduating new teachers in partnership with local schools in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne for more than 12 years.
“It was great to read that 50 percent of new teachers who participated reported they found their initial teacher education effective and that nearly all new teachers enjoy teaching. ERO noted that time spent in school enhanced new teachers’ feelings of readiness around the job.”
“The EIT primary teaching degree involves student teachers belonging to a school all year and spending two days per week in that school to put into practice what they learn at EIT. Schools and EIT take joint responsibility for the learning and wellbeing of student teachers up to graduation.”
Maurice Rehu EIT Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) Advisory Committee Chair, says: “We feel our EIT student teachers get the full experiences within their school based learning required for them to be successful teachers in the future”.
Rehu, also the Principal of Irongate School, says as a partnership school, they “provide real time learning experience of the realities of being a teacher”.
Dr Nelson supports the ERO’s recommendation for more time spent in school during initial teacher education.
“During EIT’s degree student teachers spend 230 days in school across the three years of their degree, significantly more than the Teaching Council minimum requirement of 120 days.”
However, Dr Nelson believes that it is what is done with the time in school that is important, supporting student teachers to reflect on their learning and identify new growth and further development opportunities is key.
She believes it is the active partnership between schools and providers that supports student success, with schools and the EIT teaching team jointly committed to supporting student teachers to critically reflect on their theoretical and practical learning in ways that enhance their understanding as teachers.
EIT welcomes the ERO report that identifies key challenges of contemporary teaching but prefers to frame these challenges generatively as: supporting teachers to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in their teaching practice, utilise assessment information for targeted teaching and learning, adapt their teaching to suit the tamariki they are teaching, and take a strengths-based approach to engage meaningfully with tamariki and whānau.
“We look forward to continuing to grow and develop our partnership-based initial teacher education with local schools and with our colleagues in the diverse provider contexts that operate across Aotearoa New Zealand. There is much to learn from each other in order to grow great teachers who can inspire and connect with rangatahi in meaningful ways.”
