Beyond curriculum knowledge: preparing Australian pre-service teachers’ ‘response-ability’ to 21st century student diversity and working in partnership with families

ABSTRACT

In Australia, pre-service teachers are those enrolled in an accredited teaching training course (four years undergraduate and two years postgraduate) to become a qualified teacher. The term ‘classroom ready’ is a common description when discussing pre-service teachers’ capabilities upon completion of their course. In the Australian context, classroom ready means being equipped with curriculum content, pedagogical knowledge and skills, as well as catering for students with highly diverse needs and cultural backgrounds, and working in partnership with their families. This paper critiques recent policy developments, including the Australian Professional Standards for Teaching. These reforms will be outlined, together with key literature and current research on why developing family–school partnerships is a critical skill for pre-service teachers. We suggest that some of these reforms have led to the privileging of curriculum knowledge over the ability of pre-service teachers to work effectively with students and families in front-line contexts. Pre-service teachers need quality practical opportunities to exercise family–school partnership skills and become professionally competent to work with students and families from diverse backgrounds. With adequate attention to family–school partnerships in education policies and training courses, pre-service teachers can be better prepared to impact students’ learning and contribute to quality teaching classrooms.

KEYWORDS:

• pre-service teachers
• family–school partnerships
• classroom ready

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eunice Woo

Eunice Woo has a Master of Research from the School of Education, Macquarie University. Her thesis was on family–school partnerships. Eunice also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of New South Wales and a Master’s Degree in Education Studies from Macquarie University. Her research interests are family-school partnerships; teacher education and education policy.

Fay Hadley

Fay Hadley, is a lecturer in Early Childhood Education and the Director of Education in the School of Education, Macquarie University. Fay’s work in early childhood education spans three decades and she began her career as an early childhood teacher and Director in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. Fay’s research areas include supporting leadership, professional learning and career pathways for early childhood professionals and partnerships with diverse families.

Loraine Fordham

Loraine Fordham is a Senior Lecturer in the field of early childhood in the School of Education at Macquarie University. Loraine has a PhD in early childhood (exploring families’ experiences of family-centred practice) and has worked as an academic, researcher and speech pathologist in a range of early childhood, academic, health and community organisations.