It takes a special type of teacher. An investigation into the capabilities of staff working with disengaged students

ABSTRACT

The primary purpose of Flexi schools in Australia is to serve students for whom traditional school has not been a good fit and are largely comprised of students who have disengaged and disconnected from traditional education. The reasons behind disengagement are diverse, but young people in Flexis typically have in common a negative prior experience of school, are more likely to have been affected by poverty, marginalisation, trauma, and to experience poorer mental health than their mainstream school counterparts, subsequently, staff working exclusively with disenfranchised and disengaged young people have a different work experience to the traditional teacher. By surveying school principals in Tasmania, Australia, this study finds that some of the documented characteristics usually associated with being a teacher are particularly valued and required in reengagement programe staff. These include the professional skills to plan for and implement effective teaching and learning, and to create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments, as well as the non-academic capabilities of having strong interpersonal and communication skills, and a willingness to learn. The findings have direct implications for the selection, preparation and professional development of staff working with disengaged young people.

KEYWORDS:

• Reengagement
• flexible learning programes
• teacher characteristics

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the principals who participated in this study, as well as the staff and students in Flexible learning programes across Australia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeffrey Thomas

Dr Jeff Thomas is a lecturer at the University of Tasmania, Australia. His research focuses on student engagement and specifically schools and programs designed to support students for whom school has been an unfriendly place.

Vaughan Cruickshank

Dr Vaughan Cruickshank is a former health and physical education teacher who taught mainly in primary schools. He is currently a lecturer in health in physical education at the University of Tasmania, where he is the program director of the Bachelor of Education (Health and Physical Education) and (Science/Maths) programs.

Ebba Herrlander Birgerson

Ms Ebba Herrlander Birgerson is a researcher with the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES) in the School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania. Her research interests focus on reintegration and the factors that impact the success of people returning from prison, but also ‘what works’ in criminal justice and what kind of system we should strive towards.

Donald Reid

Dr Donald Reid is a lecturer in the journalism, media and communication programme. His main research theme is the role of journalism and media in the construction and representation of identity.

Kitty te Riele

Professor Kitty te Riele leads the research portfolio in the Peter Underwood Centre, at the University of Tasmania, Australia. Her research focuses on social justice in education, in particular through alternative education programs.