Teachers' Day: Should We Rethink the Teacher Training Process?
From ancient Greece to the present day, it is inevitable that the educational process and teacher training must be constantly reviewed, as they are constantly evolving.
Given the current demands of education, teacher training is linked to continuous learning, professional development, curricular changes, new practices, and pedagogical research and studies.
In this context, we know that teachers not only teach but also learn at all times, in all settings, and, inevitably, at school—at their educational institution.
Today’s teacher training should aim to take education to a new level, with a focus on better quality and greater equity for all—which always requires access to new ways of teaching and learning. To achieve this, it is essential that teachers have the tools at their disposal to meet these demands. After all, technology, combined with the development of emotional skills, transforms the learning environment, making it more dynamic and welcoming.
The true beauty of education lies in the exchange of knowledge among human beings. This makes it increasingly necessary to incorporate competencies and skills—such as empathy, communication, resilience, collaboration, and active listening—which are essential for creating a positive, productive, and effective learning environment.
See also:
- What do we mean when we say “transforming education”?
- The Challenge of Inspiring School Leadership
- Bett Brasil Opens Registration for Bett Talks
To (re)shape teacher training, it is worth considering new mental models that teachers can adopt, while respecting their autonomy, their concepts, their structures, and their processes of change.
Throughout history, it has never been easy for human beings to develop emotional skills and abilities. And it won’t happen overnight in the field of education—not least because changing habits and paradigms takes time before they become actions that are naturally incorporated into daily life.
In all human activities, self-awareness—already widely recognized as an essential tool for managing emotions in various areas of human life—is crucial for teachers to respond appropriately to daily challenges. Furthermore, teacher training today requires ongoing professional development in a variety of social and cultural contexts, as well as in the areas of diversity and inclusion.
All skills, competencies, and an understanding of current realities are essential not only for sharing knowledge but also for educating students in a holistic and comprehensive manner, based on a solid foundation in teacher training.
Of course, it is urgent to rethink the teacher-training process. We need to adopt new, inclusive practices and pay attention to the educational, social, economic, geopolitical, and climate-related changes that impact education.
The very word “education,” which derives from *formare* —to shape or mold—reflects this need to adapt education to make it more just, high-quality, and equitable for everyone.
Therefore, rethinking teacher training is a collective responsibility. It is not merely a burden for teachers, but rather a process that involves all educational stakeholders. Learning and teaching are integrated and ongoing activities, part of the concept of lifelong learning, which accompanies us throughout our lives. This constant journey of learning is essential to shaping one of life’s greatest experiences: education!
Happy Teachers' Day, Teachers!
About the author:
Adriana Martinelli
Share on social media:
Categories
- The Future of Education

