Personality Development as a Key Aspect of Teacher Learning: A Pilot Study of the Training Programme Effects within the CLIMA Concept

Abstract

The paper presents research conducted in the context of the professional education of teachers in kindergartens and primary schools focused on personality development, emotional intelligence and the creation of a favourable classroom climate. The research aims to confirm or refute the usefulness of such education at other than a pedagogical faculty, and to find how specific areas of this new form of education contributed to the participants’ teaching practice. The effect of the training was evaluated using questionnaires collected from 27 participants before and after the programme. The programme's benefits were analysed based on closed questions using statistical methods, while open-ended questions were processed by content analysis. The results suggest that a training programme using elements from different managerial field appears to be highly suitable and beneficial. The paper is an appeal that approaches from various fields can be used in further education, thus expanding the skills portfolio of modern teachers.

Keywords

• emotional intelligence
• kindergarten teacher
• leadership
• personal development
• primary school teacher
• teacher education