An innovative approach to teaching is helping first-year education students to confidently make their debut at schools as student teachers.
Several years ago the General Education and Training Department at the Wellington Campus conceputalised a three week long Practice Teaching Seminar, solely aimed at preparing first-years for practice teaching.
Practice teaching, a key component in CPUT education courses, extends throughout the four-year education programme and provides students with the opportunity to hone their skills in a school environment.
Lecturer Adrienne van As says the seminar was conceptualized after they found many first-years had preconceived ideas of what was required of a teacher.
“They have the preconceived idea that a teacher’s role is just to stand in front of a class and talk, but it is much more than that,” she says.
From sharing tips on how to behave in a school setting to dressing appropriately, lecturers cover just about everything student teachers would need in order to make a success of their time spent at schools.
“We see the benefit of this training. When they go out to schools they are prepared,” says van As.
Students are also required to plan a lesson from scratch, along with appropriate material, and present it to their fellow students and lecturers. Other activities include building sculptures out of recycled material that represent the various roles teachers play in a school and community.
This year’s seminar was well received by first-year students, who hailed it as a “confidence booster.”
Student Mikyla McLoed says preparing a lesson showed her exactly what is expected of her during practice teaching.
“The seminar showed me how to communicate with learners and how to work with them,” says Mikyla.
Student Enzio Engelbrecth says the seminar reaffirmed to him the important role a teacher plays in a community, as well as the importance of life-long learning.
“The activities we participated in showed me that teachers must always be eager to teach and to learn. The passion for teaching must always be there,” he says.
