Pre-Service Teacher Education & Training Programme

The impact and usefulness of our PRE-ED programme was investigated by a postgraduate student for his dissertation (Giotis 2008). Through the use of questionnaires distributed to a sample of graduates from the faculty, graduates in their first years of teaching clearly indicated that the training received through their university courses assisted them to a great extent in all the main dimensions of teaching. Most graduates (48%) reported that they now taught based on the training they were provided with at university rather than following the practices they had experienced when they were learners or following the coursebook methodology.

Based on our own systematic evaluation of the Teaching Practice course and Mentor education programme so far, we have had very positive feedback regarding the need and usefulness of well crafted and well designed field experiences for our students teachers. The vast majority of our student teachers have stressed how important and useful they have found the teaching practice programme, and stress the need for the teaching practice course to last longer and to become compulsory. Our student teachers also stress how fruitful, helpful and insightful they have found the relationship and interaction with their mentor teachers. More specifically, the students appreciated the opportunity they were given to be part of the teaching process under real circumstances and the guidance of experienced teachers. Moreover, they believed that the assignments given helped them actually realize what they did in class and the fact that an experienced teacher was observing them really helped them realize their weak and strong points.

For the vast majority of our student teachers, the teaching practice was definitely a positive experience, as they had the chance to actually teach in a real class and deal with groups of students with different learning needs and of different learning styles. Also, all students appreciate the fact that they had the opportunity to observe an experienced teacher while teaching and in particular while dealing with problems of discipline. 

Mentors themselves also found the experience rewarding and reported gains on a professional and personal level.  The evaluation of the mentoring programme, revealed that for the majority of mentors the experience was very beneficial as they felt more responsible and were urged to reflect on their own teaching methods, explore new ways of teaching and even improve it. Moreover, on a personal level, mentors realized that the teacher-student brought a breath of fresh air into their classroom, which motivated and inspired them, while at the same time boosted their confidence and self-esteem.