Teachers On Practicum: A Revolutionary Approach
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In 2009, the Teacher Education team at BTI introduced a revolutionary new practicum model into their secondary teacher training programme. The Ministry of Education was cautious, and schools were hesitant. Fast forward four years and the story is remarkably different. We interviewed Alumni and schools to finds out why this practicum model is so rewarding for both student teachers and for their host schools.
Alan Ronberg hadn’t expected Saint Kentigern College to be so beautiful. As he walked through the school gates on February 21st 2013, the chattering din of students faded in his consciousness as Rangitoto, dark against the blue sky and the vista of the Tamaki Estuary came into view. The fact that he was there at all was surprising enough. The whip-lash of an unexpected redundancy and career side-step into secondary school teaching just five weeks earlier was still fresh. And yet, here he was, enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) at Bethlehem Tertiary Institute (BTI) with just two weeks of intensives and two weeks online training under his belt, about to begin a one-day-a-week practicum placement at this prestigious school that would last for the whole academic year. “I arrived all dressed up in my suit and tie,” says Alan. “They say first impressions last, so I didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot.” He was scheduled that day to meet Susan Mudford, the Head of Christian Education at Saint Kentigern College. As his Associate Teacher for the year, Susan was to be his guide on the path ahead, a path that was designed to develop him into a competent and confident teacher of teenagers. “As I sat waiting I thought back to those many times waiting in reception at Palmy Boys,” says Alan. “It was nice to think I wasn’t waiting to see the principal and that corporal punishment is now illegal.” |
“They see the ‘warts and all’, coal-face, everyday experience of what teaching is. But because it is through the year, trainees can see most of a teaching and learning programme rather than just 6 weeks of it.” “I probably learnt more in the host school than I did sitting reading articles. You absolutely need both - you need the theory, you need the foundational knowledge and you need the school, it puts your learning completely in its home.” |
His tongue is firmly in his cheek of course. Actually, as one of the last generation of New Zealanders to receive corporal punishment at school, his memory of that dubious method of student discipline may be all too real, but his tone here is jocular. It’s a tone that I imagine has been honed to fineness during his many years of working with teenagers in churches and para-church organisations.
A sociable extrovert by temperament, he has the trademark youth pastor’s cheeky glint in his eyes, a ready laugh, sincere one-liners, witty quips, and stories at the ready. He strikes me as someone who would be ready to engage in either fun banter or a significant ‘deep and meaningful’ at any moment; as readily prepared as any self-respecting soldier facing battle. And who could possibly need to be more battle-ready than a man whose year would include teaching compulsory Christian Education to Year 10 boys? But this was just the first day. All of that was still ahead.
A sociable extrovert by temperament, he has the trademark youth pastor’s cheeky glint in his eyes, a ready laugh, sincere one-liners, witty quips, and stories at the ready. He strikes me as someone who would be ready to engage in either fun banter or a significant ‘deep and meaningful’ at any moment; as readily prepared as any self-respecting soldier facing battle. And who could possibly need to be more battle-ready than a man whose year would include teaching compulsory Christian Education to Year 10 boys? But this was just the first day. All of that was still ahead.
An Authentic, Relevant Context
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This experience of reporting for duty at a school, just four weeks into their programme is one that has been experienced by every student to pass through BTI’s one year secondary teacher training programme. Every student, that is, who has enrolled since 2009. That was the land-mark year in which this innovative, whole-year approach to practicum placements was introduced at BTI.
Barbara Caygill had just been chosen to lead the programme after lecturing in it for several years and she brought to the role some probing questions about the effectiveness of the traditional six or seven week block practicum placements. “I was very unhappy and uncomfortable with the way we were doing practicum,” says Barbara. “Block practicums are times of intensive teaching, but I didn’t believe that they gave student teachers sufficient time to be able to reflect on what they were learning, get feedback and make adjustments accordingly.” |
“When the staffing gap emerged, Al sprung to mind because of his enthusiasm, his willingness to engage with the kids and be involved with the wider school life and community which is very important to us.” |
Barbara thought back to her days of secondary teaching in Lower Hutt, when she used to mentor student teachers from an outpost programme in Karori. This programme had been designed for teachers who were returning to teaching after a long break. In addition to college lectures and block practicums, the student teachers would be placed in a school two days a week for the whole academic year. “I noticed a vast difference between the students who were in this programme and those who were just going on block practicum,” says Barbara. “They were actually reflecting and thinking and developing their competence and confidence.”
At the time of these discussions, the BTI Teacher Education team was preparing for its scheduled Ministry of Education (MOE) secondary programme re-approval process. Together, the team explored the idea of reducing the length of the block practicums and introducing a one-day-a-week host school practicum lasting for the whole academic year, thus enabling students to make connections between what they are learning and what they see in practice. Ultimately, they decided to write it into the programme, and simply give it a go.
At the time of these discussions, the BTI Teacher Education team was preparing for its scheduled Ministry of Education (MOE) secondary programme re-approval process. Together, the team explored the idea of reducing the length of the block practicums and introducing a one-day-a-week host school practicum lasting for the whole academic year, thus enabling students to make connections between what they are learning and what they see in practice. Ultimately, they decided to write it into the programme, and simply give it a go.
“We went through quite a grilling during the re-approval process,” says Barbara. “There were concerns simply because there was a well-established traditional way of doing practicum and we were proposing something very different. Nobody else was doing it at the time.”
In the end the MOE gave their conditional support, provided that BTI could get enough schools on board. This provision also proved challenging. “The initial reaction of the schools was very resistant because they knew nothing else and they couldn’t see how it would work effectively,” says Barbara. Happily, there were enough schools that were willing to buy into the new model despite their concerns, and the new programme was allowed to see the light of day.
Four years down the track, the picture is very different and it’s safe to say that the new model has been extraordinarily successful. “We have huge buy-in now from schools,” says Barbara. “In our latest MOE Monitor’s report, the monitor reported that one of the host school senior teachers stated that ‘all Independent Tertiary Institutions (PTEs) institutions should follow BTI’s model as it was so effective’, and another said just how pleased he was to be able to express his strong support for the BTI programme as he considers these students to be the best he has on placement and would always look to employ them when he can.”
Schools were concerned initially that the one-day-a-week model would prove burdensome for Associate Teachers, but the feedback on this has also been positive. Barbara says, “Many of the Associate Teachers at the host schools have moved into this whole idea of mentoring and they love it. They have acknowledged their own professional growth in the process which most often comes from having to articulate and justify their practice. They find that the one-day-a-week is in many ways more effective than the big block. ”
Over the four years, many graduates have reported back to BTI that they found it valuable to be part of the ebb and flow of school life for a whole year during their training. The classroom, after all, is only one aspect of the teaching life. A school is a system, a community, an organism. The opportunity to not just observe, but become part of the rhythms of school life has given these students a huge advantage as beginning teachers.
Alan’s Associate Teacher, Susan Mudford would concur. “I think the host school practicum model is highly effective, as it gives trainees insight into the workings of a school over most of the year,” she says. “They see the ‘warts and all’, coal-face, everyday experience of what teaching is. But because it is through the year, trainees can see most of a teaching and learning programme rather than just six weeks of it.”
What they actually do during their one-day-a-week is quite flexible, and is arranged between the student and Associate Teacher. They may observe, help with lesson planning, assist with group discussions, and will, of course, have many opportunities in the classroom both to co-teach and to teach on their own.
Each unique fusion of student and school can give rise to particular, and sometimes unexpected, opportunities. For instance, during his host-school year Alan was able to attend an impacting three day Christian Education conference, to be part of a brand new assessment planning process with his department. He even had the opportunity to write a 7-unit lesson for Year 9-13 Christian Education based on the movie ‘Avatar’, a course that has now been incorporated into the curriculum.
While each student’s experience is unique, Barbara Caygill says that over the four years that BTI has been collecting data and feedback, two things have emerged very clearly. “Firstly, putting them in a very authentic and relevant context has proved extraordinarily successful in helping student teachers make the connections between theory and practice,” says Barbara. “Secondly, it’s very, very obvious that this model is building confidence and competence in our students much more effectively. If we can get them out into the host schools very early in the year, they go into their first block practicum in a totally different place in terms of their level of confidence.”
Alan would have to agree. “I am very much a relational person,” he says. “I probably learnt more in the host school than I did sitting reading articles. You absolutely need both - you need the theory, you need the foundational knowledge and you need the school, it puts your learning completely in its home. Also, before you hit your first practicum, you’ve got a bit of experience at being in a classroom, seeing how a teacher works, asking questions of practice. I felt quite confident when I got to my first practicum.”
In the end the MOE gave their conditional support, provided that BTI could get enough schools on board. This provision also proved challenging. “The initial reaction of the schools was very resistant because they knew nothing else and they couldn’t see how it would work effectively,” says Barbara. Happily, there were enough schools that were willing to buy into the new model despite their concerns, and the new programme was allowed to see the light of day.
Four years down the track, the picture is very different and it’s safe to say that the new model has been extraordinarily successful. “We have huge buy-in now from schools,” says Barbara. “In our latest MOE Monitor’s report, the monitor reported that one of the host school senior teachers stated that ‘all Independent Tertiary Institutions (PTEs) institutions should follow BTI’s model as it was so effective’, and another said just how pleased he was to be able to express his strong support for the BTI programme as he considers these students to be the best he has on placement and would always look to employ them when he can.”
Schools were concerned initially that the one-day-a-week model would prove burdensome for Associate Teachers, but the feedback on this has also been positive. Barbara says, “Many of the Associate Teachers at the host schools have moved into this whole idea of mentoring and they love it. They have acknowledged their own professional growth in the process which most often comes from having to articulate and justify their practice. They find that the one-day-a-week is in many ways more effective than the big block. ”
Over the four years, many graduates have reported back to BTI that they found it valuable to be part of the ebb and flow of school life for a whole year during their training. The classroom, after all, is only one aspect of the teaching life. A school is a system, a community, an organism. The opportunity to not just observe, but become part of the rhythms of school life has given these students a huge advantage as beginning teachers.
Alan’s Associate Teacher, Susan Mudford would concur. “I think the host school practicum model is highly effective, as it gives trainees insight into the workings of a school over most of the year,” she says. “They see the ‘warts and all’, coal-face, everyday experience of what teaching is. But because it is through the year, trainees can see most of a teaching and learning programme rather than just six weeks of it.”
What they actually do during their one-day-a-week is quite flexible, and is arranged between the student and Associate Teacher. They may observe, help with lesson planning, assist with group discussions, and will, of course, have many opportunities in the classroom both to co-teach and to teach on their own.
Each unique fusion of student and school can give rise to particular, and sometimes unexpected, opportunities. For instance, during his host-school year Alan was able to attend an impacting three day Christian Education conference, to be part of a brand new assessment planning process with his department. He even had the opportunity to write a 7-unit lesson for Year 9-13 Christian Education based on the movie ‘Avatar’, a course that has now been incorporated into the curriculum.
While each student’s experience is unique, Barbara Caygill says that over the four years that BTI has been collecting data and feedback, two things have emerged very clearly. “Firstly, putting them in a very authentic and relevant context has proved extraordinarily successful in helping student teachers make the connections between theory and practice,” says Barbara. “Secondly, it’s very, very obvious that this model is building confidence and competence in our students much more effectively. If we can get them out into the host schools very early in the year, they go into their first block practicum in a totally different place in terms of their level of confidence.”
Alan would have to agree. “I am very much a relational person,” he says. “I probably learnt more in the host school than I did sitting reading articles. You absolutely need both - you need the theory, you need the foundational knowledge and you need the school, it puts your learning completely in its home. Also, before you hit your first practicum, you’ve got a bit of experience at being in a classroom, seeing how a teacher works, asking questions of practice. I felt quite confident when I got to my first practicum.”
Dynamic Environment Of The Host School Experience
Alan’s teaching career may have begun suddenly, but in the dynamic environment of his host school experience it matured deeply and quickly. His blog-reflection, posted on the 16th October 2013, captures some of this journey. “There is a remarkably different tone to when I first set foot in this place just over eight months ago. I feel that I walk through the gates as part of the story of the school. When I speak with a teacher at the coffee machine, it feels like I am talking to a colleague. The opportunity to be here over the course of a school year has definitely allowed me to feel a part of the life of this place. The concept of the host school sits well with me, as I feel I have grown in my identity as a teacher, not through theory, but through critically evaluated practice. I have had access to passionate educators that have never treated me as a student, but as a valued part of their team.”
Some student teachers become so much a part of the furniture at their host school that they are asked to stay on when they graduate. Alan Ronberg was thrilled to be one of them. From quite early on, he had harboured secret hopes that he would have the chance to join the teaching team at Saint Kentigern College at some stage.
With an increase in roll numbers and retirement of staff from various parts of the school, Saint Kentigern College had a gap in staffing come up, of which Christian Education was a part. “The impression Al had made on our team, his natural affinity with the students and his extensive skill-set made him an obvious choice,” says Susan.
Alan had already appeared on the radar of the Saint Kentigern College principal, Mr. Steve Cole. “Some people that I trust had said he was a very enthusiastic young man and we should keep an eye on him, so I asked him to come and talk to me,” says Mr. Cole. When the staffing gap emerged, Al sprang to mind because of “his enthusiasm, his willingness to engage with the kids and be involved with the wider school life and community, which is very important to us.”
Mr Cole thinks that time spent in the classroom teaching is the best kind of teacher training a student can have. “It’s a good programme,” he says. “I hope they continue doing it and I hope this model gets extended into other areas of the country.”
When Wendy Pyne, BTI’s Head of Operational Services, reviewed the employment status of BTI secondary graduates for 2014 she found that they are highly sought after, with 88% of the new graduates in teaching jobs just four months after completing their course. A staggering 44% of them secured jobs with their respective host schools.
Some student teachers become so much a part of the furniture at their host school that they are asked to stay on when they graduate. Alan Ronberg was thrilled to be one of them. From quite early on, he had harboured secret hopes that he would have the chance to join the teaching team at Saint Kentigern College at some stage.
With an increase in roll numbers and retirement of staff from various parts of the school, Saint Kentigern College had a gap in staffing come up, of which Christian Education was a part. “The impression Al had made on our team, his natural affinity with the students and his extensive skill-set made him an obvious choice,” says Susan.
Alan had already appeared on the radar of the Saint Kentigern College principal, Mr. Steve Cole. “Some people that I trust had said he was a very enthusiastic young man and we should keep an eye on him, so I asked him to come and talk to me,” says Mr. Cole. When the staffing gap emerged, Al sprang to mind because of “his enthusiasm, his willingness to engage with the kids and be involved with the wider school life and community, which is very important to us.”
Mr Cole thinks that time spent in the classroom teaching is the best kind of teacher training a student can have. “It’s a good programme,” he says. “I hope they continue doing it and I hope this model gets extended into other areas of the country.”
When Wendy Pyne, BTI’s Head of Operational Services, reviewed the employment status of BTI secondary graduates for 2014 she found that they are highly sought after, with 88% of the new graduates in teaching jobs just four months after completing their course. A staggering 44% of them secured jobs with their respective host schools.
Engaging With A Host School Where You Live
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Behind every statistic of course, is a story – like Alan Ronberg’s. And, like Bronwyn Dyer’s - a BTI graduate from the 2012 cohort who also ended up being employed by her host school. After six years of teacher aiding and private tutoring, Bronwyn had been encouraged by her husband and friends to take the next step and become a fully qualified secondary teacher. Bronwyn’s teaching subject speciality was horticulture and it was arranged that she would do her host school practicum placement at Taradale High School, just 5 minutes from her home in Napier.
As it turned out, she couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The school’s horticulture department had been waning for years and student numbers were dwindling. Linstead Allen, an English teacher and passionate gardener, but with no formal training, had been charged with the task of turning the department around. In doing so, he also became Bronwyn’s Associate Teacher. |
“Bronwyn is a unique person and fitted into the school, my classes and the culture of the school without any fuss.” “I am excited about my career as a teacher and look forward to being an ambassador for the type of progressive learning we have been engaged in at BTI." |
From the beginning, Bronwyn felt that she was in good hands. “Linstead is an incredibly experienced and understanding teacher. He gave me a lot of opportunities to teach the way I wanted to teach. He was incredibly creative in his lesson plans, I was able to glean a lot from this. Since most of the planning for the following year was done together, I also learned how to unit plan.”
By the end of the year, Bronwyn had not only flourished as a teacher, but had been able to make a significant contribution to her department in a critical year. “With Linstead’s fabulous teaching skills, and my knowledge and experience in horticulture, we were a great team. By working together, my mentor and I managed to grow horticulture as a subject.”
Linstead says his experience of being Bronwyn’s Associate Teacher was extremely positive. “We gelled together instantly. Bronwyn is a unique person and fitted into the school, my classes and the culture of the school without any fuss. She is a genuine person and all staff who worked with her, raved about her!”
After sowing her time and creative energies into the horticulture department throughout the year, Bronwyn was loathe to just walk away from it. So, when she graduated from BTI, she made an unusual move. “I told my mentor that I would be willing to volunteer my time and teach the combined Year 11/Year 12 horticulture class,” says Bronwyn.
Her offer was gratefully received, and for the first term Bronwyn helped out twice a week at the school. At the end of the term, the school was looking for a junior science teacher to fill in as a long term reliever. Bronwyn says, “The school said that since I had shown commitment and drive during the first term of 2013, they wanted to employ me to teach two junior science classes and carry on teaching the Year 12 horticulture class.”
In 2014, Bronwyn was fortunate to step into the role of a full-time science and horticulture reliever. The horticulture department continues to go from strength to strength. She has introduced agriculture to the school, and is teaching the first ever Year 13 horticulture class at Taradale High School. She has also started a TeenAg club, which is for students interested in the primary industries. “It is under the umbrella of Young Farmers and we are really growing as a group,”
From Linstead’s point of view it was perfect timing. “We needed an experienced Hort teacher and she was one in the making,” he says. “I chatted to my HOD (Science) before the end of 2013, and he also had the view that Bronwyn was a diamond and needed to be kept on our staff.”
It seems fitting to leave the final words of this piece for the final words which Alan Ronberg wrote for his last blog-reflection, the words which rounded out his year. “I am excited about my career as a teacher and look forward to being an ambassador for the type of progressive learning we have been engaged in at BTI. The biggest highlight for me has to be the opportunity to sign a contract and take a role here next year. They are as excited about having me here as I am about being here, and without the host school model I don’t think that I would have had this opportunity.”