Beginner teachers

New research from the University of Newcastle has found that early career teachers deliver the same quality of teaching as their more experienced colleagues. In today’s episode we’re joined by the lead researcher on this project, Laureate Professor Jenny Gore, to talk about the study, why the team decided to do this research and how the findings are both surprising and counterintuitive.

If you’ve moved between schools or made the transition from graduate to the staffroom, it’s likely you’ve benefited from a school-based induction program. But, what about those who may miss out because they are employed for short periods? That’s the focus of a new Australian research study.

The latest instalment of Teacher’s bookshelf features Empowering Teachers and Democratising Schooling, Perspectives from Australia – edited by Keith Heggart and Steven Kolber. This exclusive extract, written by Stephanie Salazar, looks at the New Teacher Tribe network she developed and shares some key principles for starting one at your own school.

Brisbane’s Brigidine College, Indooroopilly has changed the way it supports pre-service and early career teachers. In the second part of our Q&A with Allison Johansen (Assistant to the Principal, Professional Teaching and Learning) we find out more about the Pre-Service Teacher Fellowship Program and its positive impact.

Attending a professional learning event is a great way to reflect on what’s happening in your own school and improve practice. For leaders at this Brisbane college, it prompted a new approach to supporting and retaining pre-service and early career teachers. Find out more in today’s Q&A.

Attracting and retaining effective teachers to build and maintain a strong team can be difficult for principals and systems. Here, we find out how the Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns has been working to tackle teacher supply and demand issues in Far North Queensland.

It’s no surprise that a teacher’s self-efficacy has a huge impact on their classroom teaching. But what aspects of work as a beginner teacher has an influence on how perceived self-efficacy develops? A research report has looked into this and we discuss the findings in this podcast episode.

How have the COVID-19 school restrictions affected pre-service teachers and their ability to complete their professional placements while students are learning remotely? We speak to Associate Professor Miriam Tanti, from Australian Catholic University, about how pre-service teachers have used it as an opportunity to develop a unique set of skills, knowledge and undestanding so early in their careers.

Many experienced teachers will have had to draw on their knowledge of good classroom practice to navigate the move to remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. But for beginner teachers like Savannah Epskamp, starting a teaching career in the middle of the pandemic was a whole unique challenge in itself.

Beginner teacher Kelly Bowden from St Luke’s Catholic College shares her school’s unique approach to teaching and learning with Greg Whitby.