Training of Teachers: Difficulties and Proposals in Mexico

Abstract

According to Vigotskian conception, teaching might be considered as a collective and joint dialectical process. Preschool and school psychological development of children occurs not in spontaneous way, but is directed by adults’ attitudes and actions. Among such actions, concrete actions of children at school occupy the central place. Actions of teachers are based on their conception of psychological development and children’s possibilities. Children never learn alone, but according to orientation and participation of adults. The presence or absence of the knowledge zone of proximate or actual development is crucial for the actions of teachers. From this perspective, it is important to learn about the methods of pedagogical preparation and training of teachers. The situation with such preparation in many countries in general and in Mexico particularly might be described as critical. Cultural and historical conception of human development and the concept of the zone of proximate development, proposed by L.S. Vigotsky is rarely taught and used in practice in traditional pedagogical institutions. Traditional methods of teaching, at all levels, are full of memorization, repetition and reproductive operations. Real and concrete cultural actions are absent both in Pedagogical Institutions and in Schools. The article describes original practice of attempts of organization of non-traditional type of preparation of teachers and to show how they can teach children. Experience in a small private school in the city of Puebla (Mexico) is included. The authors discuss qualitative achievements in teaching and learning based on activity theory and historic-cultural conception of development.