Navigating the Challenges of Out-of-Field Teaching: Solutions and Strategies

Even before the current teacher shortage, before there were around 4000 unfilled teacher roles in Australian K-12 schools, out-of-field teaching was common, and problematic in the areas of English and maths. With ever diminishing staff budgets there were always going to be more English and maths classes than there were specialist teachers to teach them.

The situation now is a long way from ‘common’ and out-of-field teaching is happening in almost every subject. So much so that ITE (initial teacher education) providers are preparing their students for the likelihood that they will have to teach subjects they are not trained in or familiar with.

There is a lot of political and social talk about how to recruit new teachers, and that is to be encouraged. However, at We Teach Well, we would like to see more work and political will around retaining the teachers we already have. At the moment it would be hard to recruit enough new teachers to make up for the numbers bleeding out of the profession.?

Out-of-field teaching can lead to a multitude of problems, but there are ways to mitigate these challenges and empower out-of-field teachers to excel in their roles.

Over the next little while we are going to share various strategies that schools can adopt to support their out-of-field teachers, both for the short term benefit to their students, and the long term benefit of keeping inspiring new teachers in the profession.

Problem:

The first issue that needs to be managed is not about curriculum or pedagogy, it is about confidence.

Out-of-field teachers often lack the confidence necessary to effectively manage a classroom and engage students. Confidence is essential for building a positive learning environment.

I had been teaching for over 10 years when I first had to teach out-of-field, and it was awful. In an English or literature class, I was confident that I could respond and react usefully to whatever transpired in my classroom. That was not the case when in a drama class or a Canadian history class. (Don't ask)

Teaching out-of-field, especially for new teachers, can impact their self-efficacy and morale. This can be detrimental to their overall job satisfaction and professional growth. Teaching in an unfamiliar field can be stressful, leading to higher risks of burnout. This is especially concerning for new teachers who are still getting used to the demands of the profession.

Solution:

Schools need to encourage collaboration between in-field and out-of-field teachers. This can help out-of-field teachers access valuable insights, resources, and lesson plans. Regular meetings to discuss curriculum and teaching strategies can be invaluable.?

When we began teaching it was common to be in a staffroom with other English teachers. The informal learning by osmosis that occurred because of staffroom conversations and discussions was invaluable. Without this, more effort needs to be put into providing formal opportunities for conversation and collaboration.?

It is also important to?invest in ongoing professional development for out-of-field teachers. This could include workshops, online courses, and mentorship programs to help these educators gain expertise in the subjects they teach.

At We Teach Well we focus on English teachers. If you are looking for help with maths, you can’t go past Michaela Epstein Maths Teacher Circles or Alex Box at Maths Play, a community research project.