Wellbeing factors in the vocational preparation of student teachers for the school experience placement

1. Wellbeing factors in the vocational preparation of student teachers for the school experience placement Presenter: Jan Huyton Email:JHuyton@uwic.ac.uk Huyton, J., Sanders, L. & Hillier, E. (2010-11) Trainee teachers' physical and mental wellbeing: a study of university and school experience provision. ESCalate funded study

2. Purpose of Presentation • To explain the background and purpose to the research project • To present initial findings with a particular emphasis on connections between student well-being and vocational preparation • To encourage discussion about how the issues raised may be addressed in future teacher education and training provision

3. Background to Study • General interest in student mental health and well-being • Anecdotal information about individual experiences • Interest in the effects of ‘fitness to practise’ policies relating to professionally accredited higher education programmes

4. Literature • Fitness to Teach (DfEE, 2000) current version 2007 • developed in accordance with DfEE circular 4/99 Physical and Mental Fitness to Teach of Teachers and of Entrants to Initial Teacher Training (abolished in Scotland in 2004) • Able to Teach (TTA, 2007) • practical guidance on ADP when implementing FtT • Maintaining Standards: Promoting Equality (DRC, 2007) • evidence that ‘good health’ and ‘physical and mental fitness’ guidance for nurses, teachers and social workers had a negative impact on disabled people and was not protecting the public

5. Summary of Literature • Concerns about discriminatory practice in the ITET application process, especially in relation to health questionnaire • ITET can be stressful for all stakeholders • Workload intensity • HE curriculum • Support from peers and mentors is most valued by students • There may be issues that affect the supportive nature of the mentoring experience • Mentor workload • Mentor attitude

6. Our Research Sample • Three HEIs – English Welsh and Scottish • HE tutors • Individual interviews • Mentors in partnership schools • web-based survey • Students • group interviews • web-based survey • Student support professionals located at HEIs • individual interviews

7. Student survey - views on available support • Respondents rated academic and emotional support from student peers most favourably with 90% and 87% respectively rating this as above adequate. • Ratings for the academic (66%) and emotional (60%) support offered by the personal tutor were largely positive, too. • A small number of respondents had clearly had a difficult time with their personal tutor; universities need to have feedback mechanisms to detect and resolve any such difficulties.

8. Student survey - views on available support • Ratings for the academic and emotional support offered by the School Mentor were similar to those for the Personal Tutor, although slightly higher (72% and 69%) • The ratings for relationships with other staff in each setting although both were good, were again higher for the School Placement (81% positive) than for University (75%) 

9. Transition from University to School Experience Placement • Half indicated that this was fairly easy, and nearly a third found it easy. • 11 did not find it all easy which may suggest that they have not been adequately prepared for the experience  • Those who found the transition not at all easy also rated their school experience less favourably  

10. Course structure – block or day release • Perceived over-emphasis on pedagogical theory at the cost to practice-based learning. • This was primarily the case where block placement and block university-learning occurred. • ‘Wasting valuable time’ that could be used to learn within a classroom environment • Fear of forgetting the newly developed classroom skills and taking a backwards step at next placement • Such ‘theory fatigue’ caused students to feel frustrated and stressed with the course structure. • Some students found that topics such as ‘classroom management’ were delivered at university after they had experienced problems on their school experience

11. University workload • Across all three institutions the workload of the ITE course was described as ‘hectic’ and ‘intensive’ amongst both primary and secondary students. • Despite knowing the intensive structure of the course, students remained particularly alarmed at the difference between their pre-conceived expectations of the course compared with the harsh reality. • Students across the nations agreed that their stresses with the workload were directly related to the volume of work that was expected from the three institutions rather than the level of academic work expected of them.

12. Perceptions of university workload inconsistency • Secondary student teachers described an inconsistency with workload and expectations  across the different subjects with some subject cohorts being asked to complete more than double the workload of other subject cohorts • Such inconsistencies caused those secondary student teachers experiencing higher workloads not only greater fatigue but also angst and pressure.

13. Perfectionism • Student teachers described the necessity to prioritise work and to complete pieces of academic work within the time limit by not concerning themselves with their usual need for perfectionism. • They described their change in attitudes as a way of survival and to ‘jump through hoops’ to maintain a more positive well-being and achieve their end goal.   • Academic tutors within the institutions also identified that high achieving students and ‘perfectionists’ would often find university-based learning would have a negative effect on their well-being as the volume of work often meant previously high achieving students would often find they would not be able to perform to their usual standards.

14. School-based Mentors • Literature tells us that the student’s relationship with the mentor is essential for • Socialisation into the school as a workplace • Nurturing and supporting novice practitioners • Mentors expressed concerns about • Time to carry out the role • Preparation for role (varied between institutions) • University tutors expressed concerns about • Attendance at mentor training • Problems when mentor role not fulfilled, or when there is a personality clash with the student

15. Summary and discussion points There is clearly a pressurised learning environment for student teachers, with pressures coming from both university and school settings. The timing and relevance of the university curriculum does not always seem to fit well with what students feel they need Are we offering the best learning environments to prepare students for teaching?

16. Summary and discussion points Relationships between students and school-based mentors are deemed crucial in helping students to learn the employability skills and knowledge to prepare students for the rigours and requirements of the teaching profession. There is evidence from mentors, students and university tutors that, whilst generally these relationships appear satisfactory, there are occasions when this is not so. This can affect the well-being of mentors and of students. How can we address concerns about mentoring relationships?

17. Thank you for listening