AISNSW and The Evidence Institute officially launched the Growing and Nurturing Educators (GANE) initiative in April.
The event, held at Luna Park Sydney, was attended by school leaders, academics, AISNSW Teaching School Hubs program representatives, AISNSW staff and featured a short address from the recently elected Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, The Hon. Prue Car MP.
In her address the Minister noted the urgent need for more teachers and the importance of attracting, training and retaining the best candidates to the profession.
“We need to raise the status of the teaching profession in our community,’ she said.
“We know that countries where education is regarded as a high-status profession have fewer problems attracting high achieving students into teaching.”
The Hon. Prue Car MP spoke about the need to support teachers and bring the best candidates into the profession.
The evening featured a panel discussion including school leaders and teachers, academics and Trainee teachers involved in the GANE initiative.
They focused on the need to bring the best quality candidates into the profession, as well as discussing the strengths of initiatives like GANE, which allows Trainee teachers to explore alternative pathways through their training and into employment.
“We need to make schools attractive places, but we also need to build partnerships and we need to generate graduates from our schools who also want to be teachers,” says Nick Johnstone, Principal of Bishop Druitt College in Coffs Harbour.
Evalene Halkias from Al Sadiq College in Sydney reflected on her current experience as a Trainee teacher working in a school in a paid position with a Mentor Teacher.
“I’m involved in teacher talk when I'm at the school which I think is so important, there's just so many benefits like that. I get to learn from a Mentor who's had so many years of experience, her story is incredible and my head of primary is amazing. Being able to network with all of these professionals and academics, has been extremely rewarding for me, and it's so beneficial.”
Mentor Teacher Daniel Robins, from Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School, also notes “I’ve been teaching for 26 years, 20 of those as a head of department. I’ve had Pre-Service teachers come in and work with them, but you’re only with them for 4 weeks. You develop a relationship, it grows over that time, and then they’re gone.
“What I’ve noticed with this program is you’re developing that relationship, you’re growing it over time, and you’ve got a longer period of time. You can really tailor it for what their needs; you can be more thoughtful and better planned.”
The benefits are also reciprocal for the Mentor Teacher, who use the experience with their Trainee to grow their own skillset.
“I get something out of it as well,” said Daniel.
“I've got a young energetic educator who's at the beginning of his career. It's an opportunity to give back. I've got a chance for self-reflection to talk about my practice.”
For more information about Growing and Nurturing Educators, contact Tiffany Roos, Director: The Evidence Institute at troos@aisnsw.edu.au
