INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING.

An Analysis and Evaluation on the Impact that a School Based Placement has on a Trainee Teachers Professional Development during Initial Teacher Training

An Analysis and Evaluation on the Impact that a School Based Placement has on a Trainee Teachers Professional Development during Initial Teacher Training

Aim of Study

The aim of this study is to analyse and evaluate the differences in anxieties, if any that trainee teachers experience whilst on school based placements, during initial teacher training.

These factors will be analysed in order to evaluate whether this has an impact on a trainee teachers drive to enter the teaching profession.

Recommendations will then be made for trainees and mentors in order to enhance learning and self esteem in order to encourage trainees to enter the profession.

Professional Relevance and Value

The shift from academic to vocational teacher training currently requires student teachers to participate in school based training. For many student teachers, the school based placement is the most valuable aspect of the initial teacher training. This experience provides the trainee teacher with the opportunity to bring about the theory learnt at university, into practice within a school environment. During initial teacher training the trainee's development as a professional significantly changes.

However if the trainee encounters problems along the way, this can reflect negatively on their progression into the professions. This could include the quality of mentoring the trainee teacher receives. Mentoring in schools was introduced, with the aim to assist the growth and development of the trainee teacher. Hence a relationship between mentor and trainee should be a supportive role where knowledge is exchange, with the trainee applying selected information to their practice.

This relationship is important because success of a student's school based placement is often dependant on the mentor trainee relationship.

This topic of enquiry has been selected because trainee teachers on initial teacher training courses have expressed concerns that their experience whilst on a school based placement, did not fulfill their expectations due to a number of issues. This would be professionally valuable to investigate, in order to improve practice thus assisting future trainees in preparation for their placement.

Statement of Objectives

A Key objective of this study is to examine the extent to which the experience of trainee teachers entering the teaching profession varies in terms of;

Trainees' prior conceptions and expectations of the school based placement.

The contrast in experiences and feelings about the placement i.e. the type of School, Department, Mentor, and Pupils.

The trainee teachers self esteem and confidence prior, during and after a school based placement.

Focus of Study

What motivates people to go on an Initial teacher training course i.e. role models, teachers, people that just enjoy sport - not aware of the differences between "sport" and "PE". Only seen/experienced one school setting if it is a positive experience it motivate you to persist as a career, if negative you might not want to go into teaching.

Placement is earlier: On a BA PE with QTS course you don't go on ...