 | | New teachers will have the chance to study for a masters qualification under new government plans announced last week.
The new Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL) will be specially designed for teachers and will be initially offered to those in the first five years of their career with the aim of opening up the qualification to all teachers.
Ed Balls, Schools Secretary says: “To compete with other countries we need a world class workforce with great teachers and a premium on great teaching that inspires their pupils every day. Our aim is that every teacher over time should have the new Masters in Teaching and Learning. It will raise the status of teachers and ensure that they get the recognition they deserve.”
Some have expressed concern over time issues and funding arrangements to undertake the new qualification although they agree with the overall aim of professional development of teachers. Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, says: “Teachers need the time, space and funding for any new qualification. I call on Ed Balls to grant teachers regular sabbaticals and a guaranteed cash sum to choose and pay for their professional development.” He also asked for teachers to be made partners in any initiative to improve their skills and status.
The Training and Development Agency, in social partnership with the ASCL and others, will develop the programme. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), one of the social partners, is keen to ensure that there is appropriate support and funding for all those who wish to undertake the programme. Dr. Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the ATL says: “We are very pleased that the Secretary of State has highlighted the importance of continuing professional development for the teaching profession. At present teachers find that the CPD they are offered is poor quality, and lacks relevance to their professional concerns and development needs. The Masters in Teaching and Learning could enable teachers, at the start of their careers, to establish a firm and confident basis for their professional practice and provide a stronger base for them to challenge the “that’s the way to do it” mentality encouraged by the National Strategies.”
Philip Parkin, General Secretary of Voice (formerly PAT), welcomes the initiative but wonders whether this is the right approach to improve standards of teaching. He says: “Voice believes that the rigorous selection of the right candidates for initial teacher training and quality training and guaranteed induction period would be more effective in raising standards and retaining people in the workforce than the additional burden of completing a masters in the first five years of teaching.”
“It is well documented that this is a period of high workload and greatest danger of dropout from the profession. The addition of having to complete a masters will only exacerbate this situation unless it formed part of the induction process. This would have the added advantage of ensuring that every entrant to teaching received a high quality induction experience and that an all-masters profession would be achieved over time,” he added.
Other announcements include an extension to the National Leaders of Education scheme where strong headteachers help other schools.
A new Transition into Teaching programme is planned to attract those with strong science, technology and engineering backgrounds into teaching.
Plus new extended diplomas to give young people more and better options.
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