TEACHER COMPETENCIES AS PERCEIVED BY STUDENTS FROM THE TEACHER’S TRAINING DEPARTMENT
TEACHER COMPETENCIES AS PERCEIVED BY STUDENTS FROM THE TEACHER’S TRAINING DEPARTMENT

Summary/Abstract: The new expectations and challenges confronting teachers in Europe demand a change in policy towards European integration with respect to national identity. One of the important steps in this direction is the delimitation of joint principles that should govern education policies in all European countries (European Council, 2005). The implementation of these principles should be made respecting the national differences. Therefore, developing teacher competencies within the framework of European principles for teacher competencies and qualification is a priority of the teacher training department. For a program to be successful, both teachers and students have to be aware of the need of becoming a European teacher and the necessary competencies to fulfill this job. These competencies are supposed to be viewed as a source of empowerment for the teachers. Students’ engagement in the learning process to become teachers is strongly shaped by their perception about needed skills to be successful in this profession. Control and agency over their professional formation is an important ingredient in the context of education for democratic citizenship. The aim of the article is to present the results of a research designed to identify what competencies future teachers perceive and acknowledge as relevant for their future profession and what are, in their opinion, the traits of an effective teacher. The information was gathered in focus group settings having as participants, students from the Teacher Training Department and Pedagogy of Preschool and Primary School Education from “1 Decembrie 1918”, University of Alba Iulia. They developed a profile of a highly effective teacher. Using brainstorming, students generated lists of teacher competencies and rated them based on the perceived relevance. The results will be discussed in relation to stated professional standards promoted by National Council of Professional Formation and European principles for teacher competencies and qualifications.

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