AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF
SECONDARY MATHEMATICS ITT STUDENTS AND THEIR MENTORS IN THE FIRST
TERM OF SCHOOL BASED TRAINING.
21/03/2003
By Peter M. Bland MSc.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Sally Taverner, the external examiner, for her time, guidance and
enthusiasm in helping to formulate this research.
I would like to thank Graham Newson for his initial input and final advice.
I would also like to thank Maria Goulding for reading and giving advice on the preparation of
the report.
ABSTRACT
In this research I was interested to discover what students expected and what they received as
part of their learning experiences when on observation in local schools during the Autumn
Term. This involved interviewing students and their mentors and acting as a supervisor to five
of the cohort of 20 students. It was pleasing to find that their host schools on the whole met the
student’s aspirations.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
To begin the research I visited Sally Traverner, the external examiner. St. Thomas More RC
High School, Lynn Rd., North Shields, NE29 8 LF
After discussion we were able to identify an area of study, a group to select and past reports to
read.
The structure of the course is such that in the autumn term the students spend two days in
school. One day is spent in their respective Department and one day on whole school issues.
The other three days are spent at the University.
1.2 REVIEW OF PAST WORK
Comments specific to the Autumn Term observation phase were made in June 2001 by Sally
Taverner in her examiner’s report she noted 2.2 “ Task two: the observation booklet was a little
difficult to read at times. I wonder how feasible it would be to put a template on the web for
students to use, rather than having to write in the booklet. Once again, these were descriptive
but would provide a good basis for seminars to compare and contrast experiences in different
schools”.
1.3 STUDENT EVALUATION
The student’s feedback form for the Autumn Term has a question on the effectiveness of the
lesson observation booklet task.
For 2000 the results were: Excellent 12%, Good 47%, Satisfactory 41%, Poor 0%.
For 2001 the results were: Excellent 31%, Good 52%, Satisfactory 15%, Poor 2%.
1.4 THE SAMPLE SET
Five students were selected with the aim of a mix of gender and a spread of age.
1.5 STUDENTS ASPIRATIONS
Before their observation began and at the start of the course the students were individually
asked what they expected from the school placement.
All their comments are listed below.
They were looking for:
 Teaching experience and take a lesson
 How the school works
 Inspiration
 How to teach
 Observing what is good and what is bad.
 Help in being able to stand up and teach
 Not to be turned off
 To observe how the school is organised
 To observe how teaching is put into practice
 To observe pastoral time
 To observe class management
 To observe pupils’ reaction to something they cannot do
 How knowledge is conveyed to pupils
1.6 STUDENT CONCERNS
The students expressed some concerns as part of their reply to what they expected from the
observation and are quoted as saying:





The school experience was limited to two days per week
Not enough time to become fully involved
I do not want to be turned off
I do not want to be just sitting at the back.
I do not want to be involved in religious matters
1.7 VISITING THE STUDENTS ON OBSERVATION AND THE OBSERVATION
BOOKLET
On visiting the students in their respective schools all of them were enjoying their observation
and felt the experience very rewarding.
Comments on the observation task were as follows:
 The task was very useful as it directed focus to important issues such as assessment,
records of work, classroom management and questioning.
 Looking at different styles of teaching gave some good ideas and strategies.
 I have learnt that a lesson has to be planned with individual pupils in mind.
 Evaluating a lesson is important in assessing pupils’ understanding and the quality and
effectiveness of the teaching.
INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN STATEMENTS (submitted with completed Observation Booklets)
 This task has been extremely valuable, enabling me to observe effective teaching strategies
to manage a classroom (Section 3.3 of the Observation Booklet) but also to look more
closely at many aspects of teaching. It has made me re-think my approach to teaching (1.7),
and also to note good and bad strategies to encourage good behaviour (2.7)
 This has helped me learn a lot about teaching- it’s certainly more difficult, demanding and
complex than it first appears.
 This task has been invaluable as a guidance tool to my first lessons.
CONCERNS
 I found it more helpful to involve myself in the lesson so most observations were written
retrospectively. I would have preferred to have been given the structure of the task but to
format the final document myself, some areas I may have expanded on more and it would
be neater typed.

I enjoyed the lesson observations, but did not feel that there was enough non-contact time
observing e.g. seeing teacher’s activities outside lessons i.e. preparation, marking etc.
1.8 WHAT THE MENTORS SAY

The amount of time available to staff for mentoring is variable and lack of time can be a
problem where staff have not been allocated time for students.
 They saw their role as crucial to the success of the scheme. A role which is very
demanding yet time, again, becomes an issue to keep up with new legislation and changes.
 It was felt it was a practical role in helping students to plan their first lesson and the use of
ICT in teaching.
 It was felt the mentors should reinforce expectations to give hands on experience in all
things, including organising the room and resources.
 On the question of what would persuade schools to take more students they all felt two
was enough.
1.9 CONCLUSION

All the students interviewed enjoyed their time on observation and felt they learnt a lot
from the experience.
 The Assessment Task 2 feedback was very positive with students commenting on the width
of knowledge they had gained from the experience.
 All the mentors were very professional; each had prepared a programme of events and was
very conscious of their role in ITT.
 A point raised at the AST in ITT Conference, 19th March in London was that some students
suffered from not being instructed in what to observe. This was never an issue with my sample
and on reflection I feel this is adequately covered in the Students’ Observation Booklet.
2.0 SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Time for the mentors is certainly an issue and one perhaps the University could take on
board to check schools do give staff sufficient timetable time to do the job.
 A template of the Lesson Observation Booklet could be put on the University network so
giving students the option to key in their responses should they wish to do so.
 A missing factor was asking students to work with staff in preparing lessons and
subsequent marking of work.
 In addition to the settling in report, an early call to each school in the third week of the
observation period should be a matter of procedure, or schools asked to contact the University
if there are any problems. My call to one school revealed a genuine concern, not worth
mentioning here, but was quickly resolved.
2.1 FURTHER RESEARCH

The sample size was very small and although chosen to be manageable in the time
available, a much larger sample could now be studied.
 The schools I visited were consistent in their approach, but once again, a much larger
sample might reveal different outcomes.
 This research was confined to Mathematics students only. This leaves scope to study how
observation is conducted in other disciplines.
 Following a study on other disciplines would enable a comparison to be made of
consistency between subjects.
 To revisit the sample of five after the main teaching placement to reflect on the value, or
otherwise, of the autumn observation in preparation for subsequent experiences on main
Teaching Practice.