e-Qualitas is committed to working with trainees and schools to promote the positive mental and emotional health and wellbeing of trainees, mentors, and tutors and to provide appropriate support and guidance.
Our work is guided by three principles:
- Trainees, mentors, and tutors are at the heart of everything we do
- We are committed to discovering and sharing the best way to help trainees, mentors and tutors and our partnership schools affected by issues around wellbeing
- To strengthen our impact through collaboration and partnership.
Although very rewarding, an initial teacher training year is both challenging and demanding. We are committed to supporting trainees, mentors and lead trainers, ensuring they can get the best possible experience from their training programme.
We’re dedicated to the wellbeing and welfare of all our trainees.
What do we mean when we talk about Mental Health/Well-being?
People often jump straight to thinking about mental illness, but that is only part of the picture. We all have mental health – it is how we think about ourselves and those around us, how we feel, and how we behave in different situations. It is also about how we handle stress, make choices and relate to others.
At times in our lives we can all face difficulties and challenges – being mentally healthy gives us the strength to cope positively.
We regularly remind our trainees that they can use the Listening@e-qualitas.co.uk link on our website which would allow you to access support without coming directly to talk to someone.
e-Qualitas’ takes responsibility for protecting the wellbeing of trainee teachers as they embark on their careers working with children.
Here are some key concerns that newcomers to the teaching profession might have, and how we address them in our training programmes.
Behaviour and Classroom Management
Managing classrooms and student behaviour is often a concern for teacher trainees. e-Qualitas’ curriculum places a great deal of importance on this subject, teaching strategies and methods of delivery early in the teacher training year. No one expects a trainee teacher, or a qualified teacher to manage everything on their own; It is important to recognize that behaviour management is a school-wide responsibility that will continue long after a teacher completes their training.
Building relationships
A purposeful classroom environment depends on positive relationships between a teacher and their pupils. e-Qualitas’ curriculum covers communication techniques that enable trainee teachers to form positive relationships with students. This is instrumental to ensuring students understand and follow instructions, understanding that they can progress and that it is okay to make mistakes.
Classroom Authority
e-Qualitas’ curriculum teaches methods and strategies to help trainees create an authoritative persona when managing a classroom. Following the guidance of our Subject and Phase-specific tutors, trainees learn to naturally convey authority in the classroom.