Personality of the teacher as a factor of success in education of children with disabilities

Abstract

Modern educational concepts take into consideration the factors, which were unjustifiably neglected in traditional educational concepts. The role of teachers is not given as much attention, nor is it treated as a very important factor as it really is. Innovations in the education and rehabilitation process of children with disabilities should also include the importance of this factor, that is the personality of the teacher could significantly determine and influence the success of the entire process. The nature of the education process for children with disabilities is very distinctive. There are specific teaching methods, slow progress being made in achievements in the classroom, need for constant repetition the taught material, frequent oscillations in the motivation of children with disabilities, increased need for individualized approach, frequent testing of the tolerance of both parties involved, the student and teacher, significant influence and need for increased involvement of the parents in the education system. Because of its distinctive nature, complexity and the great sense of responsibility it carries, education of children with disabilities is "hot potato" in both theory and practice. Innovations in the education system must take into consideration the type of personality that would most fit the needs and challenges of this type of work. Knowledge of psychology and professional orientation speak of the fact who important the characteristics of a person is important for the choosing a profession, and for future advancement within that field. Certain personality traits seem to be important prerequisites for good teaching and achievement of professional satisfaction. Because of the particularly sensitive nature of the psychological development of children with disabilities and special requirements of the education process, the teacher must posses the characteristics that will allow for stimulation of these processes. In short, those are the characteristics of a mature and integrated personality. Perhaps the most important trait is empathy, the ability to identify with other peoples feelings, to feel the psychological difficulties experienced by children with disabilities even though we have never experienced them ourselves. Empathy is directly tied to the possibility of entering into interpersonal relations and ability to connect to another person. Also, empathy is directly linked to introspectiveness and good contact with ones own emotional world. The teacher in the process of educating children with disabilities must be able to tolerate imperilment of their own professional narcissism, which is often a target because of other inadequate factors in the education process. For that reason the person may not be a highly narcissistic individual. Otherwise, that person may not have the sensitivity necessary for micro achievements of children which are a part of the education process, and will in turn lack the professional gratification. Because of frequent frustrations, oscillations in achievements, minimal shifts and frequent regressions it is necessary that the teacher have a high tolerance threshold when it comes to frustrations. The discussion of personality brings up two important issues. The first is changing the characteristic traits which are susceptible to positive influences (education of educators) in future and current teachers, which would increase their efficiency at work, and in turn result in personal satisfaction. And the second, consideration of the need for subtle selection of candidates which will one day be responsible for working within a very sensitive environment and will do invaluable work with children with disabilities.

Savremeni koncepti edukacije podrazumevaju uzimanje u obzir faktora koji su ranije, u tradicionalnim konceptima vaspitanja i obrazovanja bili neopravdano zanemarivani. Uloga ličnosti nastavnika ne tretira se onoliko koliko važnost ovog faktora podrazumeva. Inovacije u edukaciji i rehabilitaciji dece sa ometenošću treba da se tiču i važnosti faktora ličnosti nastavnika kao jednog od determinanti uspešnosti procesa. Specifičnost edukacije dece sa ometenošću je mnogostruka. Specifične metodike u nastavnom radu, spor progres u nastavnim postignućima, nužnost konstantne repeticije nastavnih sadržaja česte oscilacije u motivaciji dece sa ometenošću, povećana potreba za individualizovanim pristupom, učestalo testiranje tolerancije na frustraciju oba aktera edukativnog procesa - i deteta i nastavnika, naročit uticaj i potreba za povećanim angažovanjem roditelja u edukaciji. Zbog specifičnosti složenosti i odgovornosti koju nosi, edukacija dece sa ometenošću je "vruć krompir" i za teoriju i za praksu. Inovacije u edukaciji treba da vode računa o tome kakve osobine ličnosti bi bile u najvećoj meri odgovarajuće za ovako odgovoran rad. Znanja iz psihologije rada i profesionalne orijentacije govore o tome koliko su osobine ličnosti važne za sam odabir profesije i za kasnije dobro napredovanje u istoj. Neke osobine ličnosti izgleda da su važni preduslovi za dobro vođenje edukacije i postizanje profesionalne satisfakcije. Zbog posebne osetljivosti psihološkog razvoja dece sa ometenošću i posebnih zahteva procesa edukacije, nastavnik mora da poseduje osobine koje mu omogućavaju da stimuliše ove procese. Skraćeno rečeno to su osobine zrele, integrisane ličnosti. Možda je od svih najvažnija empatičnost sposobnost da se uživimo u osećanja drugih, da osetimo psihološke teškoće dece sa ometenošću i ako ih sami nemamo takve u sopstvenom iskustvu. Empatičnost je direktno vezana za mogućnost ulaženja u međuljudski odnos ili sposobnost za vezivanje. Takođe, empatičnost se veže za introspektivnost i dobar kontakt sa sopstvenim emotivnim svetom. Nastavnik u procesu edukacije dece sa ometenošću treba da ima mogućnost da toleriše ugroženost svog profesionalnog narcizama koji je često na udaru zbog neadektvatnosti ostalih činilaca edukativnog procesa. Iz tog razloga ne sme da bude visoko narcistična ličnost. Inače, neće imati osetljivost za mikropostignuća kod dece koja donosi edukativni proces, te će zbog toga izostajati njegova profesionalna gratifikacija. Zbog česte frustriranosti, oscilacija u postignuću, minimalnih pomaka i čestih regresija nužno je da nastavnik ima visok prag tolerancije na frustraciju. Diskusija faktora ličnosti pokreće dve važne teme. Prva je menjanje onih osobina ličnosti koje su podložne pozitivnim uticajima (edukacija edukatora), kod budućih i aktuelnih nastavnika, što bi im omogućilo bolju efikasnost u radu, a time i veće lično zadovoljstvo. I drugo, razmatranje potrebe za suptilnom selekcijom kandidata koji će se jednog dana baviti osetljivim i neprocenjivo važnim procesom edukacije dece sa nekom vrstom ometenosti.