A new partnership between Catholic Education Diocese of Rockhampton and CQ University aimed at building the capability and confidence of pre-service teachers will this year see 11 trainee teachers appointed to Catholic primary schools across the Diocese. Source: CEDR.
The Career Assistance Program (CAP) is designed to support pre-service teachers in the third and fourth year of their teaching degree, through on-the-job mentoring and coaching.
The program has attracted great interest in 2023 following a successful pilot in 2022. From two successful applicants in 2022, the CAP has expanded to 11 in 2023.
CAP pre-service teachers have the opportunity to practice and refine the routines and strategies that support well-organised, highly functional learning environments and experiences. These might include managing transitions from lunch break to the classroom so that students are ready for learning; arranging students into purposeful groups; asking questions that elicit higher order thinking; helping students regulate their own behaviours in positive ways; assessing student learning “on the go” and responding “in the teachable moment”; and providing feedback that supports ongoing learning.
CQUniversity student and 2022 CAP participant Hayley Wornum said she would highly recommend the program to fellow students.
“The CAP provides a flexibility for learning, through a hands-on approach in a realistic setting,” Wornum said. The CAP has resulted in a permanent teaching position for Wornum with Catholic Education at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Clermont. The second 2022 CAP participant is continuing her placement at St Benedict’s Yeppoon while she engages in the final year of her Bachelor of Education Degree with CQUniversity.
CEDR Assistant Director Teaching and Learning, Carmel Kriz, said, “The Career Assistance Program enables Catholic Education to nurture and support pre-service teachers more effectively than a short- term practicum placement, leading to beneficial outcomes for students and families. All the research shows us that it is the quality of teaching that makes the greatest difference for learning outcomes of young people. So, we want the very best teachers for our students.”
CAP participants can access up to two years of working in a school community, being coached by mentor teachers, building skills and confidence and gaining a deeper understanding of the knowledge required by a contemporary teacher.
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Career Assistance Program Expands in 2023 (Catholic Schools Diocese of Rockhampton)
