It's no secret that the teaching profession is still one of the most popular. This is not surprising, because working with children provides immense satisfaction and inspiration.
Wondering if you have the potential to be a teacher? But what defines an educator? What tasks are part of everyday life? Or more specifically, what qualities, competences and skills are needed to perform this profession?
The role of the educator is so multifaceted: he is a storyteller, a comforter, a problem solver, an artist, an artist, a Lego architect, and even a puppeteer. However, if we take a closer look at the skills and competencies of educators, it becomes clear how professional this profession is.
Therefore, in this text, we will take a closer look at what qualities a future teacher needs and which they develop during their education and professional life.
What are the tasks of an educator?
Competences in teacher education
Since 2015, an increasing number of states have chosen competency-based approaches to teaching and learning in teacher education . In particular, this means that individual subjects are no longer taught, but future teachers deal with learning areas and scenarios to acquire all the important skills needed for their future profession. This innovation leads to a close connection between theory and practice, with an emphasis on individual and resource-oriented development of one's own personality and in this connection the professionalization of the teacher's personality.
The most important skills that educators should acquire during training include, but are not limited to:
building and shaping pedagogical relationships,
initiation of educational processes,
observing and participating in group processes, as well as leading groups independently.
In addition, emphasis is placed on planning and implementing educational offerings, teaching responsible interaction with the environment, encouraging and enabling participation, and designing transitions based on needs.
Knowledge and appreciation of the conceptual, organizational and legal framework of educational work, and the creation and maintenance of educational partnerships are also central elements.
In addition, constructive collaboration within a team, helping shape public relations, promoting conceptual work and quality assurance, and networking and collaboration are considered important skills.
Finally, knowledge of administrative systems and participation in the organization of social educational institutions are also among the target competencies of the training.
Four main competencies of educators
In the role of an educator, you operate in different spheres of activity, which means that you not only work with children, but are also active with their environment, such as parents, reference groups, team members, social space and on the web. It is therefore extremely important to navigate these areas with confidence as a wide range of skills are required.
Teacher skills can be divided into four main skills:
While some of these skills are acquired during teacher training, others are already present.
The main competencies of teachers - instrumental competencies - are closely related to professional competencies and cover different areas.
Teacher competences: What professional competences are important?
As a teacher, pedagogical specialist knowledge that you acquire either as part of teacher or pedagogical training is crucial. This includes, for example, knowledge of developmental psychology, language development, psychomotor skills and media education. It is important to be able to apply your theoretical knowledge about different methods and styles of parenting in practice.
In addition, solid general knowledge is very important because children constantly ask questions about different areas of life: Why is the sky blue? Why can't chickens fly? With your methodical skills, you can get to the bottom of these questions together with the children.
Thanks to your methodological skills, you can transfer this knowledge professionally and, for example, develop a series of projects that you can also present in a familiar way to show parents what is happening in the kindergarten. This form of parental work is important because it increases the transparency of your educational work. Methodological competence skills include, among others:
- Ability to analyze and diagnose
- Knowledge and application of monitoring and documentation techniques
- Research and research techniques
- Moderation techniques
- Didactics
As a teacher you also have different specialized skills. You may have a special talent or skill, such as playing the guitar, being a sports fan, or having a green thumb. Your hobbies can become an important part of your professional development as an educator!
Social skills are another important skill for educators. It is essential for success in this profession and can be very diverse.
Educator competencies: What are the social skills of educators?
A key competence, if not the key competence for teachers, is social competence. As a teacher you are constantly in contact and should enjoy working with people. You are aware of the importance of language because your communication skills are needed at different levels: verbal, non-verbal, facial expression, gestures and subtext. Language and communication play a constant role.
Group life is characterized by different relationships and you must have the ability and desire to build and maintain relationships . You approach this sensitively because you have to deal with a large number of different people from social professions. Cross-cultural competence and the ability to integrate oneself and others are helpful.
Our social and cultural life is also shaped by values, morals and norms, which can vary. As a teacher, you must be able to develop an attitude and present it.
In general, empathy is an important skill in the social profession to identify needs. Since children may not be able to express their feelings clearly, it is even more important to pay attention to the signs and be sensitive. It is also a skill that develops over time. At first, it can be confusing when a child moves his legs impatiently, but with time you learn to interpret such signals - for example, it can mean that the child needs to go to the toilet and does not want to stop the game because it is simply exciting.
Educator's competencies: Personal competencies of educators - Your individual resources
After professional skills and social skills come the personal skills you should possess.
Adaptability and flexibility
Ability to make decisions
good rhetoric
Spontaneity
Resistance to stress
Ability to care, structure and organize
quick understanding
The desire to perform
desire to continue training
Ability to work in a team and compromise
The profession of an educator requires a number of personal skills that can only be briefly outlined here and that can be continuously developed individually. In situations that are constantly changing – including the illness of colleagues – adaptability is required. The ability to adapt to new situations also requires flexibility .
If your plans for the day, for example a planned field trip due to rainy weather, fall through, you need to quickly develop a plan B. Also, as a teacher, you work very independently and therefore have to organize your own daily planning. Careful planning, structuring and organization as well as the ability to self-motivate are key here. An important competence for educators is the willingness to develop and explore their own attitudes. Self-reflection , lifelong learning and self-care are also very important.
Educator competencies: Reflective skills - one of the most important skills of a teacher
Reflexive competence refers to the ability to critically assess one's own actions and continuously optimize the quality of one's own pedagogical work. Errors are human and part of it. Experienced educators view mistakes as an opportunity to reflect and identify areas for improvement.
Reflective skills of educators are extremely important. It enables educators to look critically and question their actions, decisions and interactions with children, parents and colleagues. By reflecting, educators can improve their professional activities, reflect on their own role and attitude, and more clearly define their pedagogical goals.
Reflection also contributes to the constant improvement of the quality of educational work and the personal development of teachers. Ultimately, strong reflective skills help teachers respond more effectively to children's needs and create a positive learning environment.
In addition to the ability to self-reflect, the ability to reflect also includes the willingness to compromise . This means that you are open to suggestions from your colleagues or suggestions from children and parents, without feeling threatened in your position. Part of reflective skills is also respecting other people's views and ways of life, even if they don't agree with your own beliefs.
In addition, reflective skills include a willingness to learn throughout life. The varied professional experience you will gain will open up new perspectives for you and requires continuous learning. This may include informal training in everyday working life and targeted further training measures.
What are the tasks of educators?
The tasks of pedagogues include various responsibilities in the field of education. They can be divided into the following areas:
Child care and support: This includes care and support for the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of children in their care.
Planning and implementation of educational activities: Educators create educational programs and activities adapted to the individual needs and interests of children. This includes developing materials for play and learning as well as organizing offers, games, activities and excursions.
Observation and documentation: Educators continuously monitor children's behavior, development and progress and document their observations. This data is used to assess the level of development of children and create individual support plans.
Parenting: Educators regularly communicate with parents to share information about their children's development and provide parental support. They organize parents' evenings, individual discussions and inform parents about educational offers and activities.
Teamwork: Educators work closely with other educators, teachers and professionals to provide a holistic approach to the care and education of children. This includes planning activities, developing pedagogical concepts, and collaborating in problem solving.
Administrative Tasks: Faculty members perform administrative tasks such as organizing materials, keeping records, communicating with authorities, and planning events.
These tasks may vary depending on the work environment, but they constitute the primary responsibilities of the educator.
The topic of "Teacher Competence" is extremely diverse. Essentially, it can be said that it is an extremely demanding profession which, in addition to the necessary professional, social and personal skills, also requires a desire for self-reflection and continuous education.
Many of the "teaching competencies" are acquired automatically during everyday working life, but certain personal qualities such as patience and empathy must be present from the start. The teaching profession is fascinating and offers an opportunity for personal growth and development and skill development.
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