Calls to ensure all teachers have real-world experience

There is a push for teachers to gain real-world experience before they start teaching.

The move is part of a concerted effort to improve the overall quality of teachers.

Education Professor Stephen Dinham told Neil Mitchell all aspiring teachers in South Australia will first need a different undergraduate degree from 2020, and Victoria should follow that lead. 

‘They’ve done other things, they have other qualifications,’ Prof Dinham said.

‘They’ve made a mature decision to become a teacher. I think that makes a big difference. It’s not a matter of ‘it’s the only thing I could get into’.

‘I think the days of taking people straight from school are gone.’

Whereas in South Korea, teaching courses are only available to the top 5% of academic achievers, the average ATAR of students starting teaching courses in Australia this year was 57.35. 

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