Macquarie University Tertiary Supervisor

David Strutt Mathematics Teacher

My passion, since early in my career, has been how new teachers are introduced to the craft of teaching. Reflecting on my real and practical introduction to teaching, I had sixteen weeks of teaching in a staff team: four weeks with a staff of thirty and twelve weeks with a staff of three. That period was followed by six years in a one-teacher school. In those days, I did not know what I did not know and learned what I needed to know very quickly, without the input of a mentor, colleague, or Principal. It was during that time that the passion took hold. At every opportunity, I accepted trainee teachers from tertiary and technical colleges, providing a safe environment where the craft of teaching could be honed. In subsequent appointments, it has become increasingly difficult to access student teachers, although Macquarie University, for quite a time, provided me with a ready source of practicum placements.

In 2019, I applied to join the Tertiary Supervisor Team at Macquarie University, with the goal that I might join the casual Session staff at some time in the future. The attraction was the opportunity to give back to a career that has (largely) supported me for forty-three years, through an institution with which I have had a longstanding and rewarding relationship. This role promised an opportunity to engage with student teachers between the inschool experience and the university. My role as a Macquarie University Tertiary Supervisor is as an intermediary or contact person between student teachers, the University, and the supervisory teachers. Before the University semester begins, I log my availability for supervision, indicating the number of students I am prepared to liaise with and the geographical area in which they are doing their teaching experience. Invariably, I am assigned trainee secondary teachers in the western Sydney area. Once allocated, the students are expected to contact me, introducing themselves, outlining their area of expertise, and advising me on any predicted difficulties they may have.

After contact has been established, I am available to each student, through email, telephone, or in person. I arrange a time for us to meet, outside of school hours at first, where the group from a common geographic area can gather. We share resources and experiences, and create a network, with the ultimate goal of creating a cohesive and mutually beneficial cohort of teachers as they enter the profession. There are occasions when an individual teacher will need to contact me, where I will need to explain a course demand or clarify a school expectation. Much of the time, I act as an intermediary, facilitating a solution rather than creating one.

The King’s School accepts student teachers from several agencies, including UNSW, Notre Dame University, Sydney University, and Macquarie University. Those students from Macquarie University fall under my purview. As well as hosting meetings with them, I am available to them for support and guidance. For student teachers at other schools, I am available to them through email, telephone, and meetings outside of school hours, where difficulties, achievements and challenges are discussed. Virtual meetings are also conducted. At a pre-determined time, but not for a prescribed duration, we gather online to do what we would do in person: network and share. These meetings are the most important and enjoyable aspect of my role.

The students may also seek my advice on lesson plans, syllabus expectations, and assignments. They also send me the documentation for my appraisal. My input is merely my opinion. There is no expectation that I am the expert. I am not marking or assessing the work. Rather, my opinion as an experienced educator holds some value in a professional discussion. Accessing the ideas of prospective educators creates an anthology of resources to be shared amongst a wider community, benefitting everyone. Ultimately, the Tertiary Supervisor program is a valuable inclusion for me, but more so for The King’s School. The intimate access that the school has to the Teacher Education program at Macquarie University provides a ready access to student teachers. The ready and predictable inclusion of trainee teachers in the school education menu enriches the school’s programs. They can be employed in co-curricular programs, including sports training, utilising their unique and enthusiastic skills. In the boarding fraternity, they could be used as House Patrons and House academic tutors. In the latter year of their training, the student teachers could be a ready source of casual teachers. Ultimately, by having direct input to the Teacher Training Program at Macquarie University, The King’s School has direct access to teachers of quality for which Macquarie University is renowned. Being included in the Teacher Education Program, even in this small way, arouses my passion for giving back to my profession. The longer I am involved in the program, the more I can contribute to developing expertise in the craft. To complete the circle, my passion for how teachers are introduced to the classroom, stimulated in my early years of teaching, continues to be met by Macquarie University in the latter years of my teaching.