Completing my Master’s of Teaching degree online was a time consuming, but relatively satisfying process. The requirement of completing twelve weeks of practical experience (student teaching) probably contributed to the sense of achievement I felt upon finishing my degree. A far better experience than completing my undergraduate degree, which left me feeling anxious and under prepared with far less self-esteem and confidence than when I started. I’m also certain my overall level of emotional maturity buoyed my spirits during my Master’s, a quality I was definitely lacking in during my undergraduate years. The time between finishing my undergraduate degree and starting my Master’s was about 24 years. Plenty of time to experience a lot of hard knocks and finally grow up.
With both university experiences behind me it was interesting to read Jordan Baker’s excellent article in the Sydney Morning Herald (20/02/20 – Teaching students struggling to finish their degrees, report says). Baker opens her article by stating, “one in two aspiring teachers are failing to finish their degree within six years.” Delayed graduation (or non-graduation) for half of all who matriculate in a teaching degree is a significant number of people. Surprising figures, but it resonated with me. Relying on nothing other than personal experience, I’m sure many young students suffer from the same lack of qualities I did when I undertook my undergraduate degree. Low emotional intelligence, directionless, struggling with focus and self-motivation are just a few characteristics that can derail a university education. Add to that financial hardship or an unsupportive home environment and university remains an unattainable dream.
The second half of Baker’s opening sentence is no less of an eye opener that informs readers “the number of students accepted into education courses with ATARs lower than 50 has grown fivefold over the past decade.” The article shows the desire of some educators to see much higher ATARs for students choosing to study teaching. But there are challenges. As Baker points out, “…more than 80 per cent of students do not have an ATAR at all. Some enter postgraduate programs with degrees, but about 48 per cent of all students begin their education courses with no record of their academic standard.”
It makes me wonder if we’re going about this the wrong way around. Are we trying to ensure we produce high quality students, by only accepting students who test high? Are we relying on test scores as the only metric? I think we see test results and maturity as corresponding markers. And while solid exam results can be linked to deferred gratification, hard work and persistence, they’re not necessarily the indicator of a mature individual. And for those who struggle to excel at exams, is it right to block their opportunities?
Maybe a better idea is to focus less on regular, one-off assessments and look at lifetime learning potential. Imagine what kind of teachers we could produce if our high school educational systems devoted those years to growing and developing their students’ personalities.