Teaching Practice and the Affirmation of Professional Vocation among Students of the Elementary Education Teacher Training Programs for First and Second Cycle and Bachelor’s Degree in Education Sciences with a Specialization in Elementary Education at the

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to verify if the development of the different teaching practices help the students of Teacher Certificate of Elementary Education and Junior High School and Bachelor in Education specialty Elementary Education and Junior High School to affirm their vocation towards the teaching practice. In order to accomplish this task, the researcher administered interviews and focus groups to students, teachers, and supervisors of the teaching practice. The researcher took into account the following variables: methodological system implemented in the orientation of the subjects of teaching practice, the level of vocation of the students in regards to the selected majors. Moreover, the researcher took into consideration some suggestions to improve the quality of the teaching practice.

The researcher found that the students´ reaffirmation of the vocation or its denial depend on largely of the teacher who imparts the subject. The teacher possesses reliable experience in the school environment and his/her characteristics encourage the student to link the theory and the practice. According to the previous facts, it is not appropriate to estimate that all of the students feel satisfied with how the subjects of teaching practice have been imparted. These students attribute this dissatisfaction to the type of teacher they have had in subject of teaching practice.