DevelopED seminar September 2 2013 Marie Brennan Faye McCallum Michele Simons

1. Renewing the teaching profession in regional areas through community partnerships DevelopED seminar September 2 2013 Marie Brennan Faye McCallum Michele Simons

2. Presentation Overview • Context for initiative • Issues research was designed to address • Approach under research 2008-2012 • Partnering: importance of community • Key insights • PST perspectives • Insights for schools

3. Context: problems in renewing teaching profession in regional schools • Increasing stratification of student achievement on international and national tests, with rural/regional, Indigenous and poverty key markers of lower achievement • Regional/rural and Indigenous schooling characterised by high teacher turnover and inexperience • However, in current financial and policy landscape for universities and teacher education, initiatives are difficult to sustain • Teacher Education highly contested and subject to international policy focus • Increasing standardisation – national (AITSL) and state registration of teachers and accreditation of teacher education • Shrinking public sectors of education, marketisation

4. Issues research designed to address: • spatial justice e.g. consistent pattern of students’ underachievement in regional areas • Difficulty of attracting professionals to regions • Low retention of skilled teachers in regional areas • Teacher shortages • Graduate entry teacher education and student agency • Renewing teacher education in partnership with diverse regional communities

5. 2008-2012 model overview • South Australia in 4 locations (Whyalla, Mt Gambier, Cowell & Cleve, APY Lands) • How many? 2008-26;2009-55;2010-45 ;2011-33;2012-24 • funding dependent – usually short term, not built in • 1st semester, 1st placement (P/M and Middle/Secondary PSTs) • Partners with community agencies and schools • Metro students only • Funded for accommodation, living and transport • Placement coordinator liaising with schools and community groups. Schools choosing learning areas of need • ARC 2011-2013 (LP100200499) and PhDs

6. 2008-2012 model overview • South Australia in 4 locations (Whyalla, Mt Gambier, Cowell/Cleve, APY Lands) • How many? 2008: 26; 2009: 55; 2010: 45 ;2011-33; 2012: 25 (funding dependent) • 1st semester, 1st placement (P/M and Middle/Secondary PSTs) • Partners between teacher education program, community agencies and schools • Metro students only • Funded for accommodation, living and transport • Placement coordinator liaising with schools and community groups. Schools choosing learning areas of need • ARC 2011-2013 (LP100200499) and PhDs

7. UniSA Partnership Model: Situated Place-Based Teacher Education (Carter 2013) Learning through Partnerships Preservice teacher Located geographic, environmental, cultural, historical and economic

8. Partnerships • Australian Research Council • DECD – Department of Education and Child Development • CESA - Catholic Education South Australia • University of South Australia – School of Education and Centre for Regional Engagement – Whyalla & Mt Gambier campuses • Victoria University, Melbourne • City of Mt Gambier • Regional Development Australia-Limestone Coast (previously LC Economic Development Board • Tenison Woods School

9. Key insights • Master of Teaching, first placement, end of semester after significant preparation: 2 weeks’ placement is enough for PSTs to make informed decisions about considering rural/regional teaching • On-campus pedagogies emphasised peer cohort, researching community, developing professional identity and agency as partners; lasting beyond 1st semester: ripple effect • Funding living, travel and accommodation makes initiative an option for PSTs • Orientation to community is not merely educational tourism but has important contributions to PST developing good student relationships, classroom presence and curriculum planning • Partnership development and maintenance is expensive for teacher education which is significantly under-funded

10. Key insights, continued • Focus on learning for all partners has been important to maintaining relationships • Work of student teachers needs to be valued and seen as a resource for schools • Living together on placement builds professional collaboration and reflection • Traditional view of placement as linear (Uni-school-uni-school-uni-school-graduation-employment) needs problematising • University work is valued; school work is valued; community work is valued as contributing to induction into the profession

11. Orientation to remote teaching- a resource

12. Changing teacher education • Induction from Day 1 • Explicit focus on communities of practice • Building peer cohort through shared activities • Role of new technologies in on-campus, on placement and cohort work • Researching community and school • Debriefing to build reflection • Building on first semester and placement

13. PST perspectives • All indicated 2 weeks was long enough to make an informed decision for country teaching as an option at the end of their degree • Almost all indicated that without financial support they would not have been likely to be able to participate • Some have returned to country for later placements, often with DECD scholarships • Majority indicate they will consider rural/regional teaching • Peers are seen as core to the support and accelerated learning of the experience (on campus, living together and then via various technologies e.g. FB, Phone, Discussion board)

14. PST quotes “They are proud schools, with cohesive and supportive networks of unique teaching staff, many of which (sic) accommodated and guided us with great proficiency.” “I feel like I should be paying someone for this (the experience)” “The pleasure has been all ours!”

15. PSTs, continued • An essential part of our experience has been living in the boarding house, allowing us to go from complete strangers to close professional friends.  It was essential to our development as pre-service teachers to be able to share our experiences with one another and offer advice and support. • Having experienced a rural placement, we would highly recommend all pre-service teachers to step out of their comfort zone and immerse themselves in an unfamiliar community. Small communities allow you to participate in their everyday lives and social events.

16. Insights for schools: Beyond cloning • Schools can use placement as first step of recruitment and induction processes • Valuing what Grad Entry PSTs bring is important – use the Photostory introduction widely • Group and multiple mentoring works as long as it is coordinated • Disengaged teachers are not good mentors for PSTs • Schools and employer authorities need to follow up country scholarship holders and rural placement students • Involving PSTs in faculty/year level and professional development meetings accelerates learning of PSTs. • Explicit discussion of professional matters such as planning, home-school relations, Indigenous education, and assessment help round out the PST understanding of the work of teachers