I am quite concerned that the new Labour government in the UK will (once it has finished bashing farmers) remove the phonics check which is massively unpopular with teaching unions, here, esp the NEU. I suspect most primary teachers support phonics - though letters to the NEU magazine suggest a lot believe in balanced literacy and cannot see how phonics works - which goes back to your training point, of course.
Do you have any trainee teachers at your school? How do you see the net benefit- you have to pay and supervise them but they could also contribute and reduce workload of others?
In theory the on the job training can improve the trainees financial wellbeing and reduce workload of the full time staff. That is the win win with most apprenticeships and internships.
We currently have two interns who are training on the job as part of the Melbourne University teacher internship program and we will welcome a third in 2025. It is an excellent scheme that we have been part of for about ten years or so, apart from one year when they decided to shut independent schools out of the program. It takes two years for an intern to qualify, but they get paid during those two years. They must have previously completed a bachelors degree.
Our current VCE coordinator - an important middle management role - started out as an intern here.
We also occasionally host teachers for a placement as part of a more traditional university-based course. This can cause a few issues because universities insist they have to design and teach their own lessons, which is not something we do here.
I am quite concerned that the new Labour government in the UK will (once it has finished bashing farmers) remove the phonics check which is massively unpopular with teaching unions, here, esp the NEU. I suspect most primary teachers support phonics - though letters to the NEU magazine suggest a lot believe in balanced literacy and cannot see how phonics works - which goes back to your training point, of course.
Do you have any trainee teachers at your school? How do you see the net benefit- you have to pay and supervise them but they could also contribute and reduce workload of others?
In theory the on the job training can improve the trainees financial wellbeing and reduce workload of the full time staff. That is the win win with most apprenticeships and internships.
We currently have two interns who are training on the job as part of the Melbourne University teacher internship program and we will welcome a third in 2025. It is an excellent scheme that we have been part of for about ten years or so, apart from one year when they decided to shut independent schools out of the program. It takes two years for an intern to qualify, but they get paid during those two years. They must have previously completed a bachelors degree.
Our current VCE coordinator - an important middle management role - started out as an intern here.
We also occasionally host teachers for a placement as part of a more traditional university-based course. This can cause a few issues because universities insist they have to design and teach their own lessons, which is not something we do here.