Investigating Essential Competences of Romanian Teachers: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

The purpose of the article was to put into perspective the qualities and proficiencies required/needed of teaching staff when working with a group of pupils in Romania. We conducted a Focus Group with 10 teachers to kick off the research, and then we used a quantitative tool to confirm the findings. The Focus Group approach was selected because it offers freedom and a greater range for creativity and minimize researcher bias. Only teachers who were interested in the topic from the perspectives of their own experiences in the department as well as from the perspectives of their experiences as parents, grandparents, or aunts of pupils in the educational system attended the Focus Group. Thus resulted a map of traits and competencies required for a positive evolution of the professorial profession, divided into broad categories of traits. To confirm the Focus Group results or identify new trends, we invited the original participants and 33 additional teachers to reassess the specific competencies and characteristics in the same categories after 18 months. The list thus obtained helps us to better prepare the candidates for what is really needed in class and outlines a Romanian teacher’s profile.