Why Schools Are Struggling to Host Pre-Service Teachers — And What Could Fix It

Ask any teacher who's mentored a pre-service teacher lately, and you'll hear the same thing: it's rewarding, but it's a lot. Add mentoring duties — observing, giving feedback, assessing — onto an already full plate, and it's no surprise many schools are finding it harder to say yes to hosting teacher placements.

This isn't just anecdotal. Australian schools are navigating real teacher shortage pressures, rising workloads, and growing administrative demands — all while being asked to shoulder a critical part of preparing the next generation of teachers. Researcher Alicia Byth calls this the "hidden labour of mentoring": the invisible time, energy and expertise that goes into supporting a pre-service teacher (PST), often without extra time or recognition to match.

The Old Model Isn't Cutting It

For years, professional experience placements have followed a simple script: universities teach the theory, schools provide the practice ground. But that split puts too much weight on individual mentor teachers and treats placements as a handoff rather than a partnership.

A growing body of research — including the Australian Government's Strong Beginnings report — argues for a different approach: school-university partnerships built on shared responsibility, not just shared paperwork. When universities and schools genuinely collaborate — co-designing preparation, supporting mentors, and communicating clearly — placements become more sustainable for everyone involved.

It's Not Just About Support for Mentors

Here's the part that's easy to miss: how prepared a pre-service teacher is when they walk in the door directly affects how manageable that placement feels for their mentor. Research shows that when PSTs arrive with realistic classroom exposure, feedback skills and professional awareness already built in — through co-designed pre-placement experiences — mentors spend less time on basic troubleshooting and more time on meaningful professional growth.

In other words: better preparation isn't a nice-to-have. It's a mentor teacher support strategy in itself.

A Framework Worth Watching

Drawing on workforce data, Australian policy and current research, a new proposal is calling for an evidence-informed School-Based Professional Experience Partnership Framework — a practical model schools and universities could use to structure responsibilities, communication, mentor support and PST preparation from day one.

The idea draws on "Third Space Theory," which reframes schools and universities not as separate silos but as equal partners generating knowledge together. It's a shift from "here's a student, good luck" to genuine, structured collaboration.

Why This Matters for Schools Right Now

With teacher shortages showing no signs of easing, strengthening the pipeline of well-prepared new teachers matters more than ever — and that starts with making placements sustainable for the schools and mentors who host them. Partnerships that share the load, rather than concentrating it on one overworked mentor, may be exactly what's needed to keep professional experience placements viable long-term.

Want to talk mentoring, placements or teacher preparation? Get in touch with Teaching Pathways — we'd love to hear how your school is navigating this.