Pioneering online scheme for Sunderland University staff juggling work with isolating children

Trainee teachers on PGCE courses at the University of Sunderland have set up a pioneering scheme to teach the children of academics online while they are off school self-isolating.

Already 75 student teachers are signed up to provide hybrid education, after lecturers found themselves having to juggle work with looking their children who were told to stay home from school.

It is hoped the scheme will enhance the teaching practice of the trainees, while developing their skills in online teaching.

The idea came from Professor Debs Patten, Professor of Anatomy in the School of Medicine. She said: “When my son was asked to self-isolate as parents we found ourselves juggling home-schooling, parenting and full-time work responsibilities again.

“School supplied work and my husband and I took turns to help him. He clearly missed the presence of a knowledgeable and supportive teacher who knows the curriculum and also, he was not always able to work independently on some of the planned activities.

“As we juggled work around a home-school day, I wondered if my colleagues in education had ideas for bringing the teacher-presence into the home for parents home-schooling and if our own PGCE students could help out as part of their learning experiences.”

Professor Patten approached the Faculty of Education and Society which worked with the Initial Teacher Training Team on developing the plan.

Mikeala Morgans, Initial Teacher Training Team Leader, said: “We are living in a world where teaching is taking place using a hybrid model and it will be excellent experience for our trainees to look further into online provision.

“We are the largest provider of Initial Teacher Training in the region and offer 29 Initial Teacher Training programmes across the range of secondary subjects and primary phases so are really well placed to give pupils working at home excellent schooling.”