Now Diocesan School for Girls, one of the founding schools of the Auckland Schools’ Teacher Training Programme (ASTTP), has expanded its reach to the Junior School, accepting its first trainee teacher under the newly-formed primary programme this year.
The full-immersion teacher training programme provides the advantage of real-world experience and mentoring, while also offering financial support for trainees in the form of fee costs and an annual stipend. By the end of this year, the ASTTP will have successfully trained more than 200 teachers across 35 Auckland schools.
Diocesan’s teacher trainees have switched from careers including a research scientist, mortgage broker and financial manager, as well as University graduates.
A long-held desire to teach
This year’s teacher trainees at Dio – Melanie Bowring and Olivia Price – both moved into teaching because of a long-held passion for the profession.
Melanie, previously a mortgage broker and financial manager, worked in the corporate world for 20 years before studying literature in at Deakin University in Melbourne. She has joined the school’s English department, assisting with Year 7 and 11 classes.
“It’s not for the faint-hearted, but absolutely for those who are passionate about teaching and learning,” Melanie says.
Olivia Price (pictured above), who completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology last year, is based with a Year 1 class in the Junior School; the first trainee primary teacher at the school.
“I decided to make the switch to teaching because I found myself falling out of love with my degree,” she says. “I decided to follow the path that I’d always felt drawn to, rather than the path that I thought would make me more successful financially.
“I’ve felt extremely supported by Diocesan and my cohort throughout the whole experience,” she says. “I’ve found everything I’ve learnt so far extremely engaging and I know that everything I’m learning is setting me up to become the best educator possible.”
“Based on how excited I am going to school each morning, I know I’ve made the right move.”
School based programme a ‘game changer’
Senior school deputy principal Dian Fisher, who oversees the programme at Diocesan, says the biggest advantage is full immersion – trainees are under the daily tutelage and mentorship of experienced teachers.
“Schools also benefit from the trainees, as they often bring with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise from their previous career or study. It’s a win-win situation all round for the school, teachers, trainee teachers and most importantly, the students who are at the centre of it all.
“We’re delighted that our younger students in the Junior School will now be able to benefit as well.”
Joe Cachopa, deputy principal of Westlake Boys’ High School and one of the co-ordinators of the ASTTP, adds that learning in a full-immersion environment allows the trainees to tap into the invaluable expertise of the mentor teachers.
“Their skills, values, knowledge, and experiences as successful classroom practitioners, as well as their caring nature, empathy and listening skills, nurture our teacher trainees into becoming highly competent teachers.
“There’s no doubt that our mentor teachers are the crown jewels of our programme.”
More information about the ASTTP is available here: https://www.schoolbasedtraining.org/
ENDS
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