Preparedness of newly qualified teachers to manage and teach in the intermediate phase

Abstract

One of the important purposes of the higher education system is to alleviate societal challenges via producing competent, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) for the South African classroom. The competence of the NQTs is to contribute to quality teaching and learning. This research study explored multiple stakeholders’ perspectives on the preparedness of six newly qualified teachers hailing from one of the largest teacher education institutions within the Western Cape, South Africa. The data is drawn from interviews, questionnaires, observations, and teaching documents produced before the participants completed their formal qualifications, especially during Teaching Practicum, and after obtaining their formal teaching degree qualification. The analysed data revealed that a) NQTs require extra practical exposure within schools during their initial teacher programme, b) Senior Management Teams at schools indicate a disconnect between this sampled initial teacher programme and the kinds of teachers required for the South African classroom and c) the Intermediate Phase Teaching Practice Coordinator challenges the deficit model of teaching practice to be replaced with an affirmatory curriculum drawing on student teachers’ existing resources. A collective response to these above critiques is seen to foster a new kind of beginner teacher for the context of the South African classroom. The findings of this thesis revealed that all six NQTs underwent contrasting experiences; however, all NQTs are in agreement that the ITE programme was sufficiently designed to prepare them for the real world. Furthermore, this study recognises the great importance of a collaborative partnership between HEIs and primary schools in producing competent beginner teachers as envisaged by the national policy Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (DHET, 2015). Implications for the preparedness of future student teachers are discussed, and recommendations for further research are elaborated.