EDUCATION MATTERS: Supporting early career teachers in their journey
By Dr Gerard Gaskin, Executive Director of Catholic Education Tasmania
Early career teachers are embarking on an exciting and dynamic career, full of purpose and mission, but one with challenges that require guidance.
Catholic Education Tasmania provides rich and comprehensive support for our early career teachers, who are fulfilling some of the most important roles within our society in educating our children. With the complex requirements of teachers today, this early career support will not only allow them to succeed and flourish, but will also ensure that they remain in the field for longer.
Our early career teachers have their own individual needs, so the support provided is tailored to them. Fiona Nolan, the Early Career Teachers Manager, is running a highly effective program, with the types of support provided including an allocation of a mentor, release time from teaching duties to allow more time for their planning and reporting, and attending professional learning and networking days.
Teaching involves a combination of knowledge and experience, empathy and understanding, while also running an effective classroom. This is a significant load for our teachers to juggle, so on-going support is essential. As such, visits to our schools are well underway for the year to check in with our new teaching graduates.
The purpose of these school visits is to check-in pastorally on each of the graduates, and to understand any gaps that might exist between their initial teacher education and the classroom teacher role. They can ask the questions they need and organise further support and education if required. Planning has also commenced for the next workshops, engaging second and third year teachers.
Creativity and flexibility are two of the most important tools for early career teachers to navigate their workloads and the complexities of modern teaching. Planning for a lesson, unit of work, or the year ahead, provides a clear framework for teachers, keeping in mind that they may also need to adapt to changing circumstances.
Our early career teachers have the benefit of working with a mentor, an established and mature educator who can support them with everyday challenges related to teaching. The school visits also allow assigned mentors to gain tailored, professional learning themselves to enhance their important role as mentor.
Mentors can share their tried and tested methods to assist early career teachers in handling situations that can seem foreign and overwhelming. One example is how to navigate the behavioural management of students. It takes time to build a skillset and understanding in this area, but when mastered, it can have a profound impact – with proficiency allowing them to remain in the teaching game for years to come.
Removing distractions and lessening the mental load can allow teachers to get back to what their profession is all about. To gain a true love of teaching and focus on their incredibly important mission.
Recruitment is currently underway for CET teaching positions across the state. Expressions of interest are also being taken for 2025 enrolments in the St Thomas Aquinas Teaching School Institute. STATSI offers exclusive positions for Teaching Cadets, to complement their studies at university – and, upon graduation, many become early career teachers at CET, so this is a wonderful pathway for those interested in working with us.