Value System, Implicit Pedagogy, and Competencies of a Contemporary Preschool Teacher

Preliminary communication

Abstract

Quality in early education is based on understanding a child’s perspective, knowledge about a child’s development, and thinking about own actions. To find out more about the desirable characteristics of a contemporary preschool teacher, students of preschool education offered their perspective on this issue. Through work in focus groups, students have identified moral values, competencies and integral elements of implicit pedagogy, which is considered to be a foundation for the quality of education. High on scale of desirable moral and personal characteristics are empathy, tolerance, understanding and patience. As far as competencies are concerned, students underline cooperation with diverse partners, knowledge on a child’s development and appropriate strategies for gratifying a child’s needs. These results could be used as a starting point for teaching self-reflection and for support of students’ autonomous thinking, which are considered to be the key factors in contemporary early education.