The potential of teaching schools in enabling student teacher learning for the teaching profession

Ramsaroop, Sarita; Gravett, Sarah

doi:10.1080/00220272.2017.1325516

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…We used a two-phase process of generating data. In phase one we reviewed the published research on the teaching school during the period 2010-2017-these comprised five journal articles (Gravett, 2012;Gravett et al, 2014;Gravett and Ramsaroop, 2017;Ramsaroop and Gravett, 2017;Loukomies et al, 2018). Using qualitative content analysis (Merriam, 1998) we looked for patterns across the historical unfolding of the findings of these papers, reflecting the views of multiple role players; focusing specifically on how the teaching school operates as a space for student teachers to learn in and from practice, and what their mentoring in this learning comprises.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A University and School Working in Partnership to Develop Professional Practice Knowledge for Teaching

2019

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The article reports on the University of Johannesburg's (UJ) efforts at offering a practice-based teacher education program in partnership with a university-affiliated school (a "teaching school") with a view to developing inquiry-oriented novice teachers. The research aimed at exploring what it takes to develop a "learningplace" (Conway et al., 2014) conducive to student teachers' development of professional practice knowledge and the role of mentoring in this regard. A two-phase process of generating data was used. In the first phase, the published research on the university-affiliated school was analyzed, using qualitative content analysis to look for patterns across the historical unfolding of the findings of these papers. In phase two a questionnaire was administered involving final year student teachers in the teacher education program. The research shows that a teaching school, if integrated into the program design and delivery, provides a rich practice learning site for student teachers. In addition, mentoring in cognitive apprenticeship mode could indeed be a powerful contributor to student teachers' professional development. However, the overall programme design is decisive. The preparation of teachers with strong professional practice knowledge requires attention to four interrelated aspects of program design, namely program identity, organizational structures, curriculum, and teacher education pedagogy. Addressing these aspects in an integrated manner would be difficult without working closely with one or more partnership schools.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A University and School Working in Partnership to Develop Professional Practice Knowledge for Teaching

2019

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“…During their practice teaching, student teachers observe lessons taught by expert teachers and they teach under the guidance of the supervising teachers (Sahlberg 2010). Also, within the South African context, encouraging results are reported (Gravett & Ramsaroop 2017;Loukomies, Petersen & Lavonen 2018) in relation to the potential of TSs for bolstering student teacher learning for the teaching profession (Ramsaroop 2016), despite challenges (Gravett, Petersen & Petker 2014).…”

Section: Student Teachers' Practice Learning Experiences: Fruitful and Troubledmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…However, the data signal that teachers are not moving beyond providing support and giving practical advice on the presentation of lessons and classroom management skills, as important as these are. Mentoring needs to guide student teachers towards pedagogical decision-making within the complexity of the classroom (Ramsaroop 2016). School experience is the ideal space to foreground the 'unpredictability and messiness inherent in practice' (Grossman et al 2009(Grossman et al :2061.…”

Section: Student Teachers' Practice Learning Experiences: Fruitful and Troubledmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, we maintain that student teachers must preferably be exposed to good practice before encountering challenging practice. Once student teachers have experienced a highfunctioning school and modelling of exemplary teaching practices, combined with mentoring by expert teachers, they will be in a much better position to deal with the challenges in low-functional schools (Ramsaroop 2016). The student teachers at this university encountered the dailyness of teacher work in a functional school.…”

Section: Student Teachers' Practice Learning Experiences: Fruitful and Troubledmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This Framework proposes the strengthening of the teaching practice or school experience component of teacher education programmes through, inter alia, establishing professional practice schools and TSs. Teaching schools, as envisaged in the Framework, show some similarities to university training schools in Finland (Ramsaroop 2016). Teaching schools are conceptualised as 'teaching laboratories' located close to a teacher education delivery site, where student teachers can engage in 'learning-from-practice' (DBE & DHET 2011:18).…”

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The practice learning experiences of student teachers at a rural campus of a South African university

Gravett

Jiyane

2019

SAJCE

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Background: There is considerable agreement that learning to teach is optimised when coursework learning is combined with quality practice learning experiences in schools.Aim: The main aim of this study was to explore the views of a group of student teachers on their practice learning experiences in a ‘teaching school’ (TS) and in the other schools where they were placed for school experience.Setting: The study was conducted at a rural campus of a South African university.Methods: Quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (focus group) data were collected, involving all the student teachers in the programme (n = 100). The responses to the questionnaire were analysed descriptively, and the constant comparative method of data analysis was used to analyse the focus group interviews.Results: The overall pattern in the data shows that the practice learning experiences contributed to the student teachers’ development as teachers – not only at the TS but also at the schools where they were involved in work integrated learning, despite challenges, including teacher absenteeism and lack of guidance. Involvement in these schools potentially enables an understanding of the challenges that are typical in many South African schools. However, school experience in a well-functioning school remains crucial. Were it not for the TS, the majority of the student teachers would not have been exposed to mentoring and good teaching practices to be emulated.Conclusion: The study concludes that TSs indeed hold the potential to strengthen the teaching practice component of teacher education considerably. International experience with school partnerships and the experience at another South African university also attest to this.

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Work-Integrated Learning and Self-directed Professional Learning in a Rural Setting: What Do Pre-service English FAL Teachers Need from Their Mentor Teachers?

Mokoena,

Moloi

2024

Educators’ Work Integrated Learning Experiences

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The potential of teaching schools in enabling student teacher learning for the teaching profession

Cited by 12 publications

References 23 publications

A University and School Working in Partnership to Develop Professional Practice Knowledge for Teaching

A University and School Working in Partnership to Develop Professional Practice Knowledge for Teaching

The practice learning experiences of student teachers at a rural campus of a South African university

Work-Integrated Learning and Self-directed Professional Learning in a Rural Setting: What Do Pre-service English FAL Teachers Need from Their Mentor Teachers?

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