CHALLENGES IN THE REALIZATION OF FUTURE PRESCHOOL TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Abstract

Professional practice of future preschool teachers is one of the most sensitive areas in the entire structure of their initial education. Preschool institutions have an important role in the partnership between faculties and preschool institutions, because they implement professional practice with the aim of training students for practical work with children. The main goal of the research was to examine how preschool teachers-mentors assess the effectiveness of professional practice in order to connect the theoretical and practical training of students. The sample consisted of 150 preschool teachers from 6 preschool institutions in Serbia. A questionnaire developed for the purposes of this research was used to collect data on the efficiency of students’ professional practice. The results showed that preschool teachers are not sufficiently informed about the goals and tasks that students should realize during their internship in a preschool institution. Also, the majority of preschool teachers (61%) stated that they were reluctant to accept the role of a mentor in professional practice, the most common reason being that students do not accept their suggestions and are not interested enough to get involved in working with children. The obtained results indicate the need for more intensive communication between a faculty and a preschool institution, converging of goals and tasks in professional practice, all that with the aim of better preparing students for their future professions.