Teacher Education Reform in Malta
TEACHER EDUCATION REFORM IN MALTA:
establishing partnerships with schools
Christopher Bezzina
University of Malta
Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, Lahti, Finland 22 - 25 September 1999
This paper explores one of a number of initiatives being currently undertaken in the island of Malta by the Faculty of Education as part of its developments in the Teacher Education programme. It presents its move to establish ‘partnerships’ with schools. The paper starts off by presenting the rationale behind this proposal and the steps that are being undertaken so that such an initiative helps not only to improve the quality of the teaching practicum but also lead to quality improvement at the school site.
Introduction
The Faculty of Education at the University of Malta [1] runs a four-year B.Ed (Hons.) programme during which student-teachers spend around 22 weeks assigned to schools. In the first year of the undergraduate programme student-teachers spend one day a week assigned to a primary school to observe specific tasks being undertaken by classroom teachers. During the second term student-teachers start taking on classroom duties where they take on responsibility for a few lessons. By the end of the second term they take on the class for a full week.
In the second year student-teachers spend a full six weeks in a primary school where they are assigned a class. Full responsibility for the class is taken right from day one. At this stage the classroom teacher does not remain in the class. In fact, most of them are assigned other duties by the school management. This means that the classroom teacher is not expected to provide ongoing advice or provide formative and summative education as in the norm in many countries. This pattern is repeated in the third and fourth year. The only difference being that student-teachers are asked to identify whether they want to pursue an elementary or secondary school track.
Student-teaches are each assigned two tutors. These are either Faculty staff members or else part-time tutors who, during the span of six weeks, are expected to conduct a minimum of four visits. Each student-teacher is assigned a main tutor who is expected to be available if any problems arise or if s/he feel the student-teacher needs support.
Within the current system no one at the school site is expected to support student-teachers whether at the psychological or pedagogical level. Given the large number of student teachers it is becoming increasingly impossible for lecturers to give the quality support that student-teachers require in order to be adequately prepared for the world of teaching.
Why Such Moves: A View From Within
The climate that has been generated within the Faculty of Education, especially over the past two years, is one of collaborative inquiry. What is unique to this learning model is that the Faculty of Education is bringing in other partners to participate in the teacher education reform process. These include the major stakeholders of education in Malta, mainly the Ministry of Education, the Education Division and the Malta Union of Teachers. This process is slowly helping to nurture a culture of discursive practice so lacking in the history of educational reform in Malta (Bezzina, 1997; Fenech, 1992).
In our drive to improve our teacher education programme a number of initiatives are being recommended. The rest of the paper will explore one of the major developments we would like to introduce - that of Faculty - School partnerships through the setting up of Professional Development Schools (Bezzina, 1998).
This can be considered as a major challenge as it addresses and calls for a radical review to the way teacher education has been conducted since its inception both at University level and at the school site. It raises important questions of a professional nature which will have to be addressed but also raises union concerns which can, at times, take on a more 'important' meaning to this particular stakeholder. So, as one can imagine, the discourse which is focused on improving the teacher education programme and hence the quality of our future teaching force, can enter and will enter a debate at a different level. We hope that ultimately qualitative reasons for such a development will win the day. Time will tell.
Faculty - School Partnerships
Our discourse, together with that of our students has taught us over the years that we need to seriously address the dichotomy between what is learnt at University and the realities in schools. This sums up to the argument often addressed to university institutions that they tend to be remote from the real world (Bauer, 1991; Teitel, 1996). Our discourse, together with a growing literature in the field of Professional Development Schools (PDS) (Darling-Hammond, 1994; Goodlad, 1994; Metcalf-Turner & Fischetti, 1996) have highlighted the benefits that can be gained through school-centred initial teacher training.
Therefore the main purpose of the Faculty of Education Professional Development School Partnership will be simultaneously renewal of the teacher education programme at the university and teaching and learning in schools.
Selection Criteria
In order for these partnerships to succeed a number of criteria need to be respected. These will need to include:
Two-thirds of the school staff must vote to participate in such a partnership
One goal of the school to be the induction of pre-service teachers into the profession
School members to be trained as mentors so as to serve as good models for prospective teachers
School members and Faculty staff to develop a school improvement plan
The school to serve as a model for other schools.
This partnership is also based on a commonly held set of educational principles that willguide our work together. These ten guiding principles will play a pivotal role by:
- Defining a set of shared beliefs or assumptions about preparing teachers for the profession
- Inspiring a set of preferred practices based on curent studies of best practice in pre-service teacher education
- Guiding the partners in the design and implementation of their programmes.
PrinciplesDefinition
PartnershipsCollaborative relationships among educators in schools and those
within the Faculty to promote educational renewal. Professional
Development Schools are a prime mechanism. Such schools improve
the quality of education offered to students and pre-service teachers
and enhance the continuing professional development of teachers.
LearningLearning is an active process involving all participants.
MotivationSuccess results from motivated and competent people working
together in an environment which is committed to their continued
growth.
Leadership rolesExpanded roles of school and Faculty educators and other stakeholders,
Which might include:
a)The involvement of school-based educators as researchers, writers
And mentors.
b)Faculty staff take on new and expanded roles within schools.
c)Preparing pre-service teachers as leaders and change agents.
Professional
PreparationA coherent programme that includes extended school-based
andexperiences, a strong curriculum base, mentoring, support for
Developmentbeginning teachers and professional development for school
and Faculty lecturers.
Evaluation and
DisseminationOngoing reflection on practice, evaluation, action research,
assessment, documentation, and other contributions to the
professional knowledge base.
Systematic
Internal ChangeTransforming teacher education programmes and schools
through such changes as:
a)Stated mission and goals
b)Strong linkages between Faculty and schools
c)Innovative delivery of instruction
d)Continuous improvement
e)Reallocated resources.
TechnologyUsing technology to enhance teaching, learning and
communications with external technological resources.
Equity and
DiversityReflected in the curriculum and in staff and student populations.
Teaching and learning has to affirm and celebrate diversity and
promote equity.
SuccessStudent success is the goal of all school activity. Students need
to be challenged, to learn to pursue difficult tasks, to persist with
tasks at which they are unsuccessful.
What is a Professional Development School?
A Professional Development School (PDS) is designed not only to educate student-teachers, but also to be a place where faculty and school staff can collaborate on research and development (Abdal-Haqq, 1998; Colburn, 1993). All this is to take place within an organizational structure that encourages professional development empowerment.
The main aims behind the setting up of PDSs are the improvement of student learning, the preparation of educators, the professional development of educators, and research and inquiry into improving practice.
PDSs have a number of characteristics, which we aim to explore in the next few years as we establish partnerships with schools.
Educator preparation:
a)A PDS is based on collaborative relationships between partners - faculty staff and school staff - whose aim is to ensure that those entering the teaching profession are prepared to serve all pupils in our schools effectively.
Professional development:
a)A PDS can extend the knowledge base in teacher education through collaborative inquiry into the teaching and learning process.
b)A PDS is a center for long term professional development. The expectation is that pupils, student teachers, regular teachers; administrators and university lecturers are all learners. The PDS is turned into a laboratory for observation, experimentation and practice with the goal of developing reflective and analytical practitioners.
c)A PDS is an integral component in the professionalization of teaching. Teachers take on new roles and differentiated responsibilities involving goal setting, problem solving, decision making, student assessment, teacher preparation, scheduling and staff development.
Curriculum development:
a)Collaboration between partners is directed at improving the education and experiences of all pupils.
b)A PDS encourages experimentation and risk taking. Staff are involved in inventing and trying out new practices. Experimentation and evaluation are integral components of a PDS.
Research and Inquiry:
a)A PDS serves as a site to integrate theory and practice in a clinical setting. Fieldwork is aligned with course work.
b)Site-based research and action research are encouraged in a PDS.
c)Collaboration between partners helps to raise questions, identify and conduct research that will promote educational inquiry at both the school and the university.
The setting up of Faculty-School Partnerships offers us the possibility of exploring different ways of learning as a result of which there will be greater relevance to the teaching-learning context (Teitel, 1998; Zeichner and Miller, 1997). And as Elliott points out, teacher education which is more school based "becomes largely a matter of facilitating the development of teachers' capacities for situational understandings as a basis for wise judgement and intelligent decisions in complex, ambiguous and dynamic educational situations" (1993, p.18). PDSs create opportunities, which allow us, as teacher educators, to take on different roles. On the one hand we need teachers at the school site who through their diverse qualities will be good models to prospective teachers. In this respect teachers can serve as mentors or co-operating teachers, both fulfilling different but complimentary roles. On the other hand the university lecturer has the opportunity of getting closer to the school and establishing the ground for educational discourse to take place between the student teachers and lecturers alike. Such opportunities do not only effect the personal and professional development of participants in the classroom context but also address areas which go beyond the classroom and which effect school-life in general.
The contribution by mentors should ascertain a faculty-school partnership in at least the following areas:
- The training of student-teachers
- The development of school programmes
- Continued teacher formation
In this model, the student-teacher learns from a mentor and a co-operating teacher by spending quality time in the classroom observing the co-operating teacher perform tasks, asking questions and receiving assistance, and gradually assuming increasing personal responsibilities as his/her knowledge and skills develop. The co-operating teacher initially models the task for the student-teacher, and the provides coaching (i.e. instructions, feedback) as the student-teacher attempts the task, fading the amount of coaching and turning over more and more responsibility for independent task completion to the student-teacher as his/her skills develop. Neubert and Binko describe one such situation where "each session begins with an overview of the focus for the day, followed by visits to classrooms to observe, assist, or guest-teach, and end with a reflective discussion with the host classroom teachers and other clinical faculty and staff" (1998, p. 45). In their experience Neubert and Binko (1998) found that the PDS internship was more effective that the regular programme in preparing teacher candidates to maintain classroom discipline, use technology effectively, and reflect on their teaching.
Berrill (1997), Neubert and Binko (1998) and Mantle-Bromley (1998) explain that the use of mentors as teacher trainers in schools, has actually even had a profound developmental effect on the qualified teachers themselves. They become more skilled at using theoretical discourse as part of their daily practice:
"Where several teachers in one school are engaged in this activity, it begins to create a culture of training and a culture of professional dialogue on teaching and learning. This culture is far more receptive to change and development, and over time it breaks down the main barrier to professional development within schools - the professional isolation of teachers."
(Berrill 1997, p.55)
With the introduction of such partnerships we aim to create and sustain a climate where professional discourse and action take place which will be of benefit to the student teachers and the schools. Rather than going in for a six-week block teaching practice where the student is in full-control of a classroom at primary level, and one/two subjects at secondary level, we would like to introduce an atmosphere where the student has opportunities to work in a number of scenarios/contexts with different groups of students. It will also create opportunities for students to experience school life and whole school activities/initiatives rather than being involved only with one class. Through this approach we hope to overcome one of the main problems facing beginning teachers when they are confronted with unexpected aspects of the job (Ryan, 1986) which reflect that teaching is by far a complex activity which goes well beyond teaching a subject or class but one which involves "countless interacting and changing variables" (Good, 1990, p.18). The scenario we want is one which encourages, develops, nurtures and sustains professional dialogue which enhances the teaching and learning experience of all participants which now no longer involve student, class and university tutor only, but is extended further to include mentor and co-operating teacher. It also allows the student to engage in developing the skills of reflection and application which was difficult to engage in, given the previous model (Pollard, 1998).
The presence of an on-site mentor/co-operating teacher allows for on-going consultation and thus can lead to the creation of a caring environment. The university tutor, who can only pay a number of visits, cannot be expected to develop such an atmosphere on his/her own. Within a structure where students have available a mentor to talk to, share their stories, targets, and achievements, teaching and learning become directly relevant to the student's personal and professional development (Colburn 1993; Haskell McBee, 1998).
Faculty-School partnerships are also of benefit to the whole school as opportunities can be created through which teachers can benefit from school-based training so that the schools are supported in addressing their particular concerns (Stallings, 1991).
Within the context of school-site management, which the government is striving for, the recommended reforms for the B.Ed teacher education programme will help to generate the climate that has been lacking in our schools - that of schools being centers of enquiry and activity. This means that schools will become actively involved and central to the teaching- learning process. In this way the dynamics of schooling takes on a different dimension - one that puts educators at the centre of a process which generates, uses and personalizes knowledge. Through such a process schools can gradually become valuable agencies of research and analysis (Bezzina, 1993; 1997) and indeed learning organizations (e.g. Fullan, 1995).
Through this approach we hope not only to prepare student teachers for schools as they are now but engage them in developing schools for what they must become.
It is hoped that with the proper piloting of this scheme the different stakeholders will appreciate the benefits that are to be accrued for the whole profession rather than just the pre-service teachers education programme at university. All this may sound overtly optimistic. We are slowly becoming aware that the setting-up, and more so, sustaining such institutions is not only a highly political issue (Adams and Tulasiewicz, 1995), but also one demanding extremely high levels of commitment at the personal/collective levels, and the financial backing to sustain such efforts (Teitel, 1998). Indeed no easy task. In fact, such concerns have been already shared with the appropriate authorities and we do expect their response and backing.