‘It’s the Worst, but Real Experience Is Invaluable’: Pre-service Teacher Perspectives of the Costs and Benefits of Professional Experience

Grant-Smith, Deanna; Zwaan, Laura de; Chapman, Renee; Gillett-Swan, Jenna

doi:10.1007/978-981-10-8648-9_2

Cited by 18 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…This finding may relate to the fact that practicum placements feature predominantly in the final year of ITT degrees. This finding may support the previous studies that identify the practicum placement as a period of elevated stress for PST (e.g., [1,13,91,92]).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…When investigating the experiences of postgraduate ( n = 151) and undergraduate ( n = 159) PSTs, Geng and colleagues [ 5 ] reported postgraduate PSTs perceived stress (measured with the Perceived Stress Scale; [ 12 ] were significantly higher than undergraduate PSTs and that the two groups experienced different stressors. In a recent study including students from the Faculties of Health and Education in an Australian university ( N = 552), the education students ( n = 172) shared stressors included study commitments, academic stress, work-life balance, practicum structure, financial pressure and interactions with supervising staff on practicum [ 13 ]. During practicum placement, PSTs are assessed by a supervising teacher and required to provide a portfolio demonstrating evidence of their ability regarding the national professional standards for teaching from the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL [ 14 ]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Relationship between Mindful Attention Awareness, Perceived Stress and Subjective Wellbeing

Hepburn

Carroll

McCuaig

2021

IJERPH

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It has been suggested that mindfulness is a predictive factor in self-reported perceived stress. The present study aimed to investigate the link between mindful attention awareness, perceived stress and subjective wellbeing without the presence of a complementary intervention to promote mindfulness-based strategies. Methods: The online survey participants (N = 257) were university students enrolled in initial teacher training. Self-report measures included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI). Results: PWI was negatively correlated with PSS (r = −0.550, p = .001), MAAS was negatively correlated with PSS (r = −0.567, p = .001) and positively correlated with PWI (r = 0.336, p = .001). The mean score for PSS (M = 20.61, SD = 6.62) was above the reported norm (14.2). Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher levels of mindful attention awareness may be associated with lower levels of perceived stress and higher subjective wellbeing levels and lower levels of perceived stress may be associated with higher subjective wellbeing. The findings confirm that pre-service teachers are a demographic that experiences elevated levels of perceived stress regardless of the stage in initial teacher training programs.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between Mindful Attention Awareness, Perceived Stress and Subjective Wellbeing

Hepburn

Carroll

McCuaig

2021

IJERPH

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“…The pre-service teacher practicum can have significant implications for pre-service teacher wellbeing (Grant-Smith et al , 2018). In the same way that teacher education generally would benefit from greater consideration of the ways to accommodate and respond to the personal needs of the pre-service teacher (Kennedy, 2016), so too would consideration of the personal needs of university-affiliated mentors to better support and facilitate more enriched professional experiences for pre-service teachers.…”

Section: Supporting Practicum Mentor Wellbeingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recently, there has been interest in student wellbeing and the ways that student participants may be better supported during the practicum placement (e.g. Grant-Smith and De Zwaan, 2019; Grant-Smith et al , 2018; Grant-Smith and Gillett-Swan, 2017). The influence of mentoring in positively shaping pre-service teacher commitment, classroom practice and student achievement has also been highlighted (Ingersoll and Strong, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing mentor wellbeing in practicum placement mentoring relationships in initial teacher education

Gillett-Swan

Grant-Smith

2020

IJMCE

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PurposeUniversity-affiliated mentors serve as liaisons between schools and pre-service teachers during practicum placements, offering academic, administrative and relational support. In the context of academic workload intensification, increasing student numbers and the need to respond to issues as they occur in time-pressured environments, the wellbeing of mentors can become compromised. Mentor wellbeing is explored, highlighting corollary impacts of threats to pre-service teacher wellbeing on those who support them.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive single case-study explored mentor lived experiences of wellbeing during the pre-service teacher practicum placement and mentoring process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with mentors supervising pre-service teacher professional experience placements. Adopting a shadowed data approach, mentors shared their own experiences and reflected on the experiences of others. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis.FindingsMentor and pre-service teacher wellbeing experiences exhibited similar wellbeing indicators, including personal and professional stress, workload strains and ethical dilemmas. Many mentors felt invisible in terms of supports for their own self-care as the focus was on meeting practicum stakeholder and student support needs rather than their own wellbeing.Originality/valueChanges to professional experience practices must consider potential impacts on pre-service teachers, in-school supervisors and the university-affiliated mentors as the wellbeing of each is potentially impacted the wellbeing of others in this professional experience triad. Increasing emphasis on work-integrated learning experiences across multiple disciplines invites future comparison and contrast of wellbeing experiences.

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“…Conversely, others argue that stress experienced by PSTs can increase throughout their academic studies and reach a peak during placement due to financial concerns resulting from placement workload, family and work commitments and academic assessment (Goddard and O'Brien, 2006;Gustems-Carnicer and Calderón, 2013;Le Maistre and Paré, 2010). Grant-Smith et al (2018) surveyed students from the Faculties of Health and Education at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia (N 552) with education students (n 172) reporting financial stress, study and work-life balance, interactions with staff/supervising teachers, practicum structure and academic stress as negative aspects of practicum experience. When investigating the experiences of graduate (n 151) and undergraduate (n 159) PSTs, Geng and colleagues (2016) reported that graduate PSTs perceived stress levels were significantly higher than undergraduate PSTs and that the two groups experienced different stressors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting Stress Management and Wellbeing for Teachers, A Pilot Study

2021

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Objectives: Investigate the change in perceived stress, mindful attention awareness, subjective wellbeing and coping for pre-service teachers (PSTs) and the impact of a pilot 6-h Complementary Intervention (CI).Method: Phase One (N = 79) survey at two timepoints. Perceived Stress Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Personal Wellbeing Index and the Brief COPE scale. Phase Two CI pre- and post-program self-report measures (N = 20).Data analysis: Paired-sample and independent sample t-test.Results: The paired-samples t-test confirmed that perceived stress levels (p = 0.082) for PSTs remain elevated across the duration of the academic year. There was not a significant change for the MAAS and sub-scales of the Brief COPE. There was a significant decrease in PWI scores (p = 0.04). The participants in the CI experienced a significant decrease in perceived stress (p = 0.004) pre-program (M = 18.6, SD = 7.04) and post-program (M = 15.55, SD = 6.95), effect size (d = 0.48). Increase in mindful attention awareness (p = 0.019), pre-program (M = 3.49, SD = 0.59) and post-program (M = 3.94, SD = 0.85), effect size (d = −0.57).Conclusion: The findings suggest that perceived stress for PSTs are at above-average levels and a yoga-based CI may provide support for promoting wellbeing and stress management.

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‘It’s the Worst, but Real Experience Is Invaluable’: Pre-service Teacher Perspectives of the Costs and Benefits of Professional Experience

Cited by 18 publications

References 25 publications

The Relationship between Mindful Attention Awareness, Perceived Stress and Subjective Wellbeing

The Relationship between Mindful Attention Awareness, Perceived Stress and Subjective Wellbeing

Addressing mentor wellbeing in practicum placement mentoring relationships in initial teacher education

Promoting Stress Management and Wellbeing for Teachers, A Pilot Study

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