This blog is the result of one of the recommendations that resulted in my thesis research findings “Transitioning from the Tools to Teaching”. During my years of work at the School of Trades and Technology, I have had numerous conversations with new faculty members. I quite often work late as my days are filled with meetings and other significant time depleters and it makes it difficult to get to my actual work. During the later hours of the day, I have had the opportunity to talk with new faculty and listen to their challenges. I would offer suggestions and ad hoc mentoring strategies. However, I knew that our leadership team could provide better supports and professional development opportunities.
Our current onboarding processes do not provide new instructors with the foundational skills needed to teach. The majority of our new instructors do not have any formal teaching experiences or have taken any teaching courses. Other faculty provide ad hoc mentorship, depending on which department, as well as passing on biases and bad habits. Not only are new instructors suffering from the lack of supports, so are our foundation and apprenticeship students. My hope is that this blog will provide new instructors with some resources and supports needed to help them during their first months of teaching, as well as, provide ongoing faculty with some strategies or information that they might also find useful.
The blog’s main focus is to provide new instructors with some resources to make their transition from working in the trades to teaching in the trades just a little easier. It is a big step in starting a new career. Sharing your expertise and knowledge with the next generation of apprentices will help to ensure that our province has the skilled workforce needed to prosper in years to come.
The Importance of Apprenticeship
It is a work in progress…any comments, suggestions, and links to resources you think might add to this blog, please send my way!
Teaching is not for the faint of heart but the rewards are what keeps most instructors from running back to the tools!
Hamilton, 2019