“Bringing the Standards to life:” One Initial Teacher Education Team’s Experiences of the Key Teaching Tasks

Abstract

Practicum is essential to initial teacher education (ITE) programmes as it allows student teachers to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life teaching. In 2019, the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand introduced new requirements for ITE providers, including the development ofkey teaching tasks. This study explores how the team from Manukau Institute of Technology's early childhood teaching programme implemented key teaching tasks and the impact on student teachers’ learning. The findings demonstrated that in-depth and ongoingdiscussions about the key teaching tasks in the classroom prior to practicum helped student teachers connect theory with practice more effectively. Challenges such as limited time to develop in-depth pedagogical understanding during practicum were also noted. The Manukau Institute of Technology team hopes their reflections inspire broader conversations between students, teachers, associate teachers and other ITE providers to enhance key teaching task integration and ensure better outcomes for students and the teaching profession.