Teaching students in online schooling project
Trainee teachers at Sunderland University have been providing online lessons during lockdown.
With schools not expected to fully reopen until at least early March, the university has set up an innovative new project in which its trainee teachers provide online schooling to isolating children of members of staff.
The project has seen 130 trainee teachers sign up and 50 members of staff have joined – 70 pupils in total.
Mikeala Morgans, principal lecturer in initial teacher training, said: “As we continue into our third lockdown, parents are once again balancing the demands of supporting children whilst also working themselves. Trainees are trained as online tutors to deliver and support online working with the children of staff at the university
“The project focuses on carefully considering pupils’ current curriculum and how the tutors can support that with additional teaching and learning input.”
Last week, the trainees taught 20 lessons, covering a range of subjects, including geography, science, English and maths.
Ms Morgans added: “The trainees who are involved in the project are fantastic and we have had amazing feedback. The project supports our trainees with developing their skills of delivering teaching and learning online and they will be a very valuable commodity for schools moving forward, as there will be an element of this way of working for some time to come.”
Professor Lynne McKenna, dean of the faculty of education and society, said: “This project supports the children and our staff during the lockdown and provides valuable teaching experience for the students.”