School Trainees Allow for One on One Learning
Mark Thompson, Head of PDHPE at Lumen Christi Catholic College in NSW, believes that taking on trainees in schools allows teachers to focus on one on one learning with students, changing the dynamics of a classroom and strengthening the learning environment.
“Having our ArtsReady trainee Zac on board in the PDHPE department has been a significant help to myself and other faculty members. He takes on smaller projects and contributes a great deal with the admin side of teaching,” said Mr Thompson.
“Unfortunately, teaching is not just about the face to face practice there is a lot of preparation, organising and administrative work that goes on behind the scenes. Zac takes an integral role in ensuring these duties are met and provides insightful suggestions along the way. Having a trainee on board changes the dynamics, teaching pedagogies and delivery of content ensuring we are engaging our students in a 21st-century curriculum.”
Lumen Christi College has been supporting the traineeship program for over five years and currently has three trainees at the College, Zac Wells in the HPE Department, Leo Bourke in the IT department and Riley Otton in the Arts Department. Both Mark and principal, Shane Giles, agree that the College is reaping the benefits from the program as teachers have never been more involved in their student’s education.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Zac assisted in multiple College camps and sporting events. With his presence it meant we didn’t have to bring as many teachers along resulting in minimal disruptions back at school and to scheduled classes. We also use Zac’s first-aid qualifications to supervise our younger students, who have medical conditions, to actively engage and support them during lessons. Zac also helps our kindergarten students in their reading program.
During remote learning, Zac spearheaded the delivery of online PE activities for years 7-10. He has been amazing at adapting to the new online learning platforms and understanding the difficulties students may be facing during these unique times. Zac’s roles vary across the College and from day to day, however, everything he does creates windows of opportunities giving us critical time with students to maximise their learning.”
Zac also changes the dynamic of teaching by giving a fresh new perspective to teachers and bringing new ideas to the table.
“Zac brings a huge amount of enthusiasm to the College, he brings a different dimension to teaching because of his youth and ability to relate to the students, having just finished year 12 so recently himself. He enhances the teacher connection with students on a deeper level, which is fundamental for any teacher.”
But it isn’t just the school reaping the benefits, Zac believes taking on a Traineeship at the college has also given him a new perspective on teaching and life.
“Taking on a Traineeship really opened my eyes to what it is like to be a Teacher,” said Zac.
“It is quiet challenging to go from a student then to work behind the scenes with the Teacher, but that is what makes the Traineeship so amazing. I get to have this first-hand insight into a career in PE Teaching.”
Zac’s experience as a trainee has reaffirmed his passion for sports and teaching and confirmed this is the career pathway for him.
“Sport is simply what I love. It is a part of my life. I took the Traineeship on because I saw an opportunity to learn and grow in a field, I am passionate about and so far I have grown and learnt a lot. I learn how to interact with students, I learn what is involved in planning lessons and teaching classes, I learn all the admin involved, I learn what is involved in camps and sporting events.
“The Traineeship has inspired me to definitely go down the path of PE Teaching or even Sport Coaching. I come to work every day and it doesn’t feel like a job and that is because I love what I do so much.”
To read about Lumen’s IT trainee please click here
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DATE: 30th June 2020 | AUTHOR: Marissa Pagliarello
Image: Zac Wells and Mark Thompson
