Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) are students studying a teaching qualification (primary or secondary) who have not yet begun their teaching career.
Overview
By Pre-Service Teachers, for Pre-Service Teachers.
Practical and interesting information, delivered on a regular basis.
This blog, aimed at PSTs and recent graduates, is here to provide you with clear and practical information on how to become the most effective teacher possible. It is also a platform where you can contribute and share thoughts, lesson ideas and teaching strategies.
How it all started
It wasn’t long after starting our education degree that we realised there was a distinct gap between the information provided at university, and the information we felt was needed to become an effective teacher.
While lectures seemed focused on theory and concepts, it became clear through our practical placement at schools, and conversations with teachers, that we needed clear and understandable strategies relating to the classroom.
We decided it was time to take action and spread the information we knew PSTs would need.
So we created this blog.
Our Goals
Bridge the information gap between Pre-Service and Graduate Teachers
While university does provide invaluable information, we feel there is a distinct lack of focus on what graduate teachers have learned from their experience of the first few years of teaching. Many teachers we’ve talked to have indicated that their initial teaching experience was extremely formative - we want to know why.
Provide practical information for Pre-Service Teachers
Pedagogy is an incredibly complex and multidimensional concept; we aim to supply information and strategies that change your views, but can also be of benefit to you right now. Our blog posts will include not only some big ideas, but also short, practical segments on lesson plans, teaching tips, and professional development.
Spark discussion and collaboration between Pre-Service Teachers
Unfortunately, the way that university is structured means that PSTs are either forced into collaboration and marked on their performance (which is destructive by nature), or are actively discouraged from helping each other with projects and assignments under the vague guise of plagiarism. We hope this blog will allow PSTs to create a community of connection and collaboration, where we can work together as we will later in schools.
Explore and analyse improvements in current teacher training practices
Australia has many fantastic elements that make up its educational systems and institutions. However, the current mode of operation for tertiary education is leaving many students feeling neither inspired, nor prepared, for their careers. We believe that PST education today needs to undergo a serious change. We will be posting ideas and thoughts about how this change might take place, and what PST education might end up becoming.
Establish a space for people to contribute thoughts and ideas
One of the core ideas behind the creation of this blog was to give PSTs a voice. More often than not there seems to be little value placed on our experiences and perceptions of our own development. We believe everyone should have the chance to share new ideas and understandings they think will benefit education students. This blog can be the platform for you to share your thoughts with the wider PST community. Head over to our contribute page for details.
We sincerely hope that our blog can rise to the challenge of meeting these goals, and that it can become a valuable resource and community platform for Pre-Service Teachers everywhere.
-PST Blog team
Overview
By Pre-Service Teachers, for Pre-Service Teachers.
Practical and interesting information, delivered on a regular basis.
This blog, aimed at PSTs and recent graduates, is here to provide you with clear and practical information on how to become the most effective teacher possible. It is also a platform where you can contribute and share thoughts, lesson ideas and teaching strategies.
How it all started
It wasn’t long after starting our education degree that we realised there was a distinct gap between the information provided at university, and the information we felt was needed to become an effective teacher.
While lectures seemed focused on theory and concepts, it became clear through our practical placement at schools, and conversations with teachers, that we needed clear and understandable strategies relating to the classroom.
We decided it was time to take action and spread the information we knew PSTs would need.
So we created this blog.
Our Goals
Bridge the information gap between Pre-Service and Graduate Teachers
While university does provide invaluable information, we feel there is a distinct lack of focus on what graduate teachers have learned from their experience of the first few years of teaching. Many teachers we’ve talked to have indicated that their initial teaching experience was extremely formative - we want to know why.
Provide practical information for Pre-Service Teachers
Pedagogy is an incredibly complex and multidimensional concept; we aim to supply information and strategies that change your views, but can also be of benefit to you right now. Our blog posts will include not only some big ideas, but also short, practical segments on lesson plans, teaching tips, and professional development.
Spark discussion and collaboration between Pre-Service Teachers
Unfortunately, the way that university is structured means that PSTs are either forced into collaboration and marked on their performance (which is destructive by nature), or are actively discouraged from helping each other with projects and assignments under the vague guise of plagiarism. We hope this blog will allow PSTs to create a community of connection and collaboration, where we can work together as we will later in schools.
Explore and analyse improvements in current teacher training practices
Australia has many fantastic elements that make up its educational systems and institutions. However, the current mode of operation for tertiary education is leaving many students feeling neither inspired, nor prepared, for their careers. We believe that PST education today needs to undergo a serious change. We will be posting ideas and thoughts about how this change might take place, and what PST education might end up becoming.
Establish a space for people to contribute thoughts and ideas
One of the core ideas behind the creation of this blog was to give PSTs a voice. More often than not there seems to be little value placed on our experiences and perceptions of our own development. We believe everyone should have the chance to share new ideas and understandings they think will benefit education students. This blog can be the platform for you to share your thoughts with the wider PST community. Head over to our contribute page for details.
We sincerely hope that our blog can rise to the challenge of meeting these goals, and that it can become a valuable resource and community platform for Pre-Service Teachers everywhere.
-PST Blog team