Adapt or die: The views of Unisa student teachers on teaching practice at schools

Plessis, EC du; Marais, Petro; Schalkwyk, A. Van; Weeks, F.H.

doi:10.1080/18146627.2010.515401

Cited by 29 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Again, ineffective mentoring has been reported in national and international contexts (Aderibigbe, 2013; Kiggundu & Nayimuli, 2009;Larkin, 2013;Maphosa, Shumba & Shumba, 2007;Mukeredzi, 2017). This is notwithstanding that mentoring is viewed by pre-service and in-service teachers, and teacher educators as vital for professional socialization of student teachers so that they become proficient in pedagogical and management skills for effective classroom practice (Aderibigbe, 2013;du Plessis, et al, 2010;Leshem, 2012).…”

Section: Discussion Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inside Mentor-Mentee Meetings in Pre-Service Teacher School-based Teaching Practice in Zimbabwe

Mukeredzi¹,

Manwa²

2019

AJTE

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Mentor-mentee meetings are a critical aspect of student teacher mentoring during teaching practice (TP)as they significantly contribute to the success of the whole mentoring process and consequently to the positive accomplishment of the entire practicum. This study contributes to debates on mentor-mentee meetings given the limited research on this phenomenon. By investigating the kinds of knowledge student teachers gain from such meetings, the findings may influence researchers to investigate other aspects of mentor-mentee meetings.The study sought to explore from the student teachers' perspectives, the domains of knowledge that they gain from mentoring meetings during residential TP. A qualitative approach which employed openended questionnaires was used to generate data from 16 student teachers: seven men and nine women in two education districts. Students indicated that they had good relationships with their mentors, and held formal meetings weekly, fortnightly or monthly. They also reported gaining general pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, curriculum knowledge, knowledge of learners, and knowledge of educational contexts. Three students experienced ineffective mentoring, as such had limited benefits from mentoring processes and most likely from the practicum. Knowledge of what to teach, how to teach it as well as appropriate strategies for particular topics, the kinds of students and their specific settings often merge into what student teachers are expected to learn in teacher preparation inclusive of residential practicum. Comprehensive, prolonged, ongoing mentor training workshops would expose mentors to the entire essence of mentoring and the centrality of formal mentor-mentee meetings not only for student teacher TP mentoring, but also for mentor growth and rejuvenation in their practice.

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Section: Discussion Of Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inside Mentor-Mentee Meetings in Pre-Service Teacher School-based Teaching Practice in Zimbabwe

Mukeredzi¹,

Manwa²

2019

AJTE

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“…Tang, 2003;Mtika and Gates, 2010;Zeichner, 2010). For instance, there is a need to focus attention on the predicament that some trainee teachers face as a result of the nature of the practicum arrangements and school they are placed in (Du Plessis, et al 2010). If poorly designed teaching practicum can contribute to teachers leaving, it may also discourage prospective trainee teachers from entering teacher education in the first place (Bronfrenbrenner, 2000).…”

Section: Teaching Practicummentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Bronfenbrenner (2000) also noted that development, be it cognitive, social and/ or behavioural, depends, in part, on the school setting, teachers, supervising tutors and other professionals with whom trainee teacher interact while on teaching practicum placements. Du Plessis, et al (2010) noted that although schools express willingness to take trainees, they tend to lack mentorship structures for trainee due to, for example, staff shortage and workloads of their staff. Sabar (2004) suggested that trainee teachers evoke an image of "marginal" people at an interpersonal level while on practicum placement.…”

Section: Teaching Practicummentioning

confidence: 98%

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Trainee teachers’ experiences of teaching practicum: Issues, challenges, and new possibilities

Mtika

2011

Africa Education Review

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This paper focuses on a qualitative case study concerned with teaching practicum as a pivotal component of teacher education in Malawi. It addresses some of the issues and concerns associated with workload, ill-defined mentoring support, and implementation of certain pedagogical orientations during teaching practicum placement. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that trainee teachers undergo varied and often challenging experiences during teaching practicum. To counter some of the concerns, suggestions are made to improve certain aspects of teaching practicum. There is need for authentic school -college partnerships, improved structures of school-based professional support, and a deeper awareness of the complexity of learner-centred pedagogy. It is imperative that teacher educators engage with these findings to further improve the design of teaching practicum and the overall quality of teacher education and teaching in Malawi.

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“…Teaching Practice, according to Chow and Fry (1999), represents the closest link between formal teacher education in universities and on-the-job training in schools. This practice is normally where student teachers are exposed to school life under the guidance and supervision of mentor teachers and university lecturers (Du Plessis et al, 2010). Teaching Practice thus has three basic objectives, namely to provide student teachers with teaching and pedagogic skills; the application of the theoretical knowledge and putting various teaching methods into practice and lastly, to provide the opportunity for student teachers to operate in the real world of teaching where they would both observe actual classroom setting and practice their newly acquired skills.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching Practice at the University of Namibia: Quo Vadis?

Scott

2013

Africa Education Review

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Teaching Practice in the four-year secondary education degree is unfortunately rated low in the teacher preparation programme at the University of Namibia due to dependence on other faculties for the prescribed academic content. Teaching Practice has to be arranged around the placement of academic courses which form part of the Bachelor of Education (honours) degree. This study set out to discover the student teachers' views on the timing, duration and content of the current Teaching Practice of the Bachelor of Education (Hons) degree for secondary teachers, as offered by the University of Namibia. The major objective of the study was firstly, to establish the views of student teachers about their experience during the eight-week Teaching Practice in various parts of the country and secondly, to establish how Teaching Practice at the University could be revised to improve the entire training programme. The population of the study included all the students who have completed their final phase of Teaching

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Adapt or die: The views of Unisa student teachers on teaching practice at schools

Cited by 29 publications

References 12 publications

Inside Mentor-Mentee Meetings in Pre-Service Teacher School-based Teaching Practice in Zimbabwe

Inside Mentor-Mentee Meetings in Pre-Service Teacher School-based Teaching Practice in Zimbabwe

Trainee teachers’ experiences of teaching practicum: Issues, challenges, and new possibilities

Teaching Practice at the University of Namibia: Quo Vadis?

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