Why the AATS?
The formation of the Australian Association of Teaching Schools represents a milestone in the evolution of teacher training in Australia. The Association operates to allow a space for unified expression, advocacy and advancement within the sector.
From its humble beginnings just six years ago, the Teaching School Hub model now represents an unique expression of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). There are now numerous Teaching School Hubs in Australia, representing several tertiary providers, many schools, and many ITE trainees. The model is also informed by a variety of models in the UK and other global trends in ITE, but it is distinctively Australian.
From its humble beginnings just six years ago, the Teaching School Hub model now represents an unique expression of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). There are now numerous Teaching School Hubs in Australia, representing several tertiary providers, many schools, and many ITE trainees. The model is also informed by a variety of models in the UK and other global trends in ITE, but it is distinctively Australian.
The Challenges
The Teaching School Hub model is an answer to the ongoing challenges to ITE in Australia, including:
- A national shortage of teachers
- A failure to maintain the value of the profession
- A failure to attract high quality school leavers or career changers
- A failure to train teachers to be context and classroom ready
- A failure to train or retain teachers in hard to staff regions
The Solution
The Teaching School Hub model upholds a number of key distinctives:
- The importance of strong partnerships between tertiary and industry
- The indispensable role that schools and teachers play in forming quality teachers
- The need to give schools agency and voice in teacher training
- The valuable place of embedded/clinical placement with long-term mentoring
- The need to integrate tertiary academic learning with the on-the-ground pragmatics of teaching
- The pivotal role of a ‘third space’ where tertiary and school combine to catalyse integration
