Competency Profile of the Elementary School Teacher. Analysis of Pre-service Elementary School Teacher's Opinion

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the opinion of pre-service Elementary School Teachers from the University of La Rioja (n=105) on the teacher competency profile, in order to compare it with the results from previous studies, and to outline proposals for the training of future teachers. To this end, a Likert response self-report questionnaire consisting of different attributes was designed and administered to the students. Two different scales were found: One, related to the 'teacher being' competencies, composed by the 'knowing how to do something' and the affective-emotional skills; and a second one, concerned the 'teacher having' competencies, that referred to the instrumental skills, as well as to the teachers' spirit of learning and personality. A greater agreement with those skills related to the knowledge and management of different teaching practices was found among the students. This result highlights the importance given by students to those skills that, although not been initially held, can be acquired and improved through a training process.