As society evolves rapidly in the age of AI and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the expectations of teachers are higher than ever. For student teachers, success begins with one essential building block: foundational knowledge. Recent WIL visits reveal that many students struggle with applying this knowledge in practical settings like lesson planning. This highlights a crucial gap that should be. Here are some key questions that must be asked when planning to complete lesson plans, and these are as follows:
What is foundational knowledge?
Foundational knowledge refers to the basic key concepts, facts and skills that are important to have in any field or discipline. Gaining foundational knowledge helps you, as a student teacher, to prepare for more advanced learning in your subject area. According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, it forms part of the lower order set of cognitive skills, namely remembering and understanding. Bloom’s taxonomy is a framework that is used to categorise differing cognitive levels of thinking skills, these range from lower order to higher order. As a future teacher, it is important to gain the lower order foundational knowledge and then build upon this knowledge to improve your overall development within your profession.
Why is it important to acquire foundational knowledge?
First of all, since acquiring foundational knowledge prepares you for more advanced learning and skills, it is necessary to develop positively, both personally and professionally. Take for example, the progress that is made with learning how to operate a cell phone, a person firstly needs to learn how to turn it on and understand the basic functions of the phone, such as making a call and sending a message. Eventually, an individual learns that specific applications serve particular functions on the phone and explores the functions of different applications.
Secondly, to be successful both academically as a student and professionally as a future qualified teacher, it is important that the basic knowledge and skills are understood. What you learn at the institution through assessments and the WIL programme will be of great assistance when you finally step into the classroom professionally, as a fully qualified teacher.
Applying Foundational Knowledge In The Classroom
The key question to ask yourself as a student teacher is: ‘What does this mean for me?’ It is up to you to pursue the foundational knowledge that is applicable to your subject areas and to keep up with the current trends in education. Familiarise yourself with the content contained in your CLGs, additional resources available on the MySANTS platform, and the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) documents available on the Department of Basic Education (DBE) website.
So, to recap, as a student teacher, you should seek to gain foundational knowledge and build upon this knowledge through an active pursuit of learning and researching the current trends in education as a whole. This will not only help you to remain relevant as a future professional teacher, but it will in turn, assist you to be a fountain of knowledge that your fellow colleagues and learners will soon cherish.
Good luck on your journey in acquiring the necessary foundational knowledge in your chosen profession.
Author:
Mr. B. Akontoh
Lecturer, SANTS
