Responding to teacher quality through an evidence-based wellbeing framework for initial teacher education

Abstract

The OECD reports that 99 per cent of teachers believe that student wellbeing is important. However, pre-service teachers are challenged as they enter the teaching profession, as many do not associate discipline-specific learning and teaching with wellbeing and they are not well equipped with strategies to influence belonging and engagement. We ask, how can initial teacher education programs integrate an evidence-informed wellbeing framework in pre-service teachers’ education as a response to global issues? Rather than focusing on the content of a wellbeing framework, or the pre-service teacher wellbeing this chapter outlines the process to create an evidence-informed wellbeing framework in pre-service teachers’ education. We argue for a two-step method, Stage 1 – Appreciative inquiry process – at the strategic level and Stage 2 - Carpe Diem process – at the program level. The purpose is to develop meaningful connections between wellbeing topics, points of discussion with pre-service teachers, and links to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.