each other’s those who trained during the pandemic may quit because they have “insufficient” knowledge, according to a new report.
A study from King’s College London said Covid-related disruption in 2019/20 and 2020/21 could mean a lack of expertise among staff training at the time, leading to higher rates of young teachers leaving the profession.
That could have an impact on reaching young people, whose education was impacted during the pandemic.
The 18-month study, which started in April 2021, was based on two cohorts of interns at King’s, as well as 112 interviews with interns, school leaders and mentors.
The experience was captured in an ECT (early career teacher) description of holding her first live parent/teacher evening alone in her kitchen at home, rather than being at school with colleagues where she could observe and receive support
The two cohorts who trained during the pandemic had “clearly different experiences,” it turned out, with the first starting under relatively “normal” conditions until February 2020, when there was a “rapid and abrupt” shift to working mostly online.
The second cohort began training amid the pandemic, and while they were able to complete school internships, they were limited in moving schools — while their university studies were almost entirely online.
Some aspects of the training during the virus crisis were positive; the report says trainees were able to develop their IT skills, while school and university staff praised the “resilience” of the trainee teachers, which would make them better teachers overall.
But the pandemic also limited opportunities for face-to-face meetings with students and parents or for pastoral support.
Interns said their lack of opportunity to meet with parents or write reports during the pandemic “resulted in feelings of isolation and self-doubt”.
“The experience was captured in an ECT (early career teacher) description of having her first live parent/teacher evening alone in her kitchen at home, rather than being at school with colleagues where she could observe and receive support” , the report said.
The pandemic affected each new teacher in different ways and so the current generic approach did not meet the needs
The paper said limited “opportunities to interact with students outside of subject-specific education” affected the teacher-student relationship.
While some interviewees said there had been more of a sense of school community during the pandemic, some trainees felt “isolated from the wider school community…and so may have been less invested”.
According to the report, early career teachers should be given more opportunities to participate in wider school life to develop pastoral skills, for example by acting as a form teacher.
Schools should also seek opportunities for interns and new teachers to gain more insight into mental health, for example through online training with the charity Place2Be.
The survey also found that due to financial pressures, some interns chose to leave the profession after completing their education.
“This is especially acute for those who train and work in expensive cities (such as London), with transportation costs, living costs and the higher cost of living all adding to the financial burden,” the report said.
Those who became teachers during the pandemic period have made significant contributions to the learning and life of young people in their school communities. However, for this group of teachers to thrive, they need ongoing support, especially with the pastoral elements of teaching, so that they can develop their skills and expertise together with more experienced colleagues.
The paper, from the School of Education, Communication and Society and the Policy Institute at King’s, also said the prescribed content of induction programs was sometimes too general to adapt to the demands of the pandemic, and calls for tailored ongoing professional development for new teachers.
Lead researcher Simon Gibbons, director of teacher education at King’s College London, said: “The pandemic affected each new teacher in different ways and so the current generic approach was not up to the mark.
“It is critical that we provide more tailored training that reflects the unique challenges and opportunities they face so that we can support them to stay in education, especially given the dramatic shortage of teachers in the UK.”
Elizabeth Rushton, of the Institute of Education at UCLadded: “Those who became teachers during the pandemic period have made significant contributions to the learning and lives of young people in their school communities.
“However, for this group of teachers to thrive, they need ongoing support, especially with the pastoral elements of teaching, so they can develop their skills and expertise alongside more experienced peers.”
And research associate, Sarah Steadman, said: “Despite the challenges, the teachers who trained during the pandemic have shown incredible resilience. Their unique experience and skills should be fully exploited because they have so much to offer.”
A Ministry of Education spokesman said: “We are introducing world-class training to ensure teachers have the professional development they need to thrive, and our reforms will create a golden thread that runs from initial teacher education to school leadership, integrating teacher development. rooted in the best available evidence.
“We will provide 500,000 teacher training opportunities by 2024, giving all teachers and school leaders access to professional development at every stage of their career.”