Fast-Track Teacher Education Programmes Will Result in Undercooked Teachers

The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa is asking the government to explain how putting undercooked teachers into classrooms will help support high quality teaching and move the education of New Zealanders forward.

The government is backing the Teach First New Zealand scheme in which top graduates are fast-tracked into teaching jobs in low decile schools, after completing a six week summer school programme. The scheme is backed by corporate companies and Teach First New Zealand is hoping to have it up and running by 2013.

“Being a top graduate doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to be a good teacher,” says NZEI President Ian Leckie.

“Trainee teachers in proper teacher education spend large blocks of practicum time in classes where they gain invaluable teaching experience. These fast track programmes won’t even touch the sides, particularly as they’ll be held over summer when there are no children in schools to teach.”

NZEI believes the “summer school” schemes would undermine other teacher education programmes and the quality of teachers needed in low decile schools.

“It’s in low decile schools where experienced and highly skilled teachers are most needed. They don’t need hastily-trained people, who as the Minister of Education suggests, may be interested in a VSA type of experience for two years.”

Ian Leckie says there are also big questions around how these graduates would be supported in schools and what their legal and employment status would be in terms of teacher registration.

NZEI is urging the Teachers Council to take a cautious approach when approached to approve any Teach First New Zealand application.

It applauds the PPTA’s initiative in reviewing the effectiveness of such schemes which are currently targeted at secondary schools.

ENDS

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