READYNESS OF YOUNG HISTORY TEACHERS FOR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

The problem of young history teachers’ readiness for professional activity (on the basis of a questionnaire of history teachers in the Volyn region) has been considered in the article. The main approaches to the definition of the concept of “readiness for professional activity” have been described, as well as the criteria for determining readiness. The main methodological problems faced by young teachers at the beginning of their professional activity (lack of psychological and facilitative knowledge and skills, lack of knowledge of history, lack of methodological skills, as well as skills in working with documents, computer and software) and their probable reasons (lack of practical experience; inconsistency of training (educational program) at the university with the requirements for a teacher at school; ignorance of the requirements for a teacher at school; lack of psychological and facilitative skills in working with pupils) have been analyzed. Features of methodical problems according to age criteria have been considered. The importance of the main teacher’s professional qualities (organizational and managerial capacities, empathy, purposefulness, capacity for work, leadership qualities, self-control, discipline, stress resistance, communication skills, capacity to work independently and in a team, analytical capacities, flexibility) and professional competencies for readiness for professional activity has been analyzed. The main recommendations for improving the professionalism and competitiveness of future history teachers (students studying in the specialty 014 “Secondary Education (History)”), in particular to strengthen the practical component of the educational program, have been established. The results of the study have been visualized in the article with the help of diagrams. A comparison of certain elements of state policy in the field of teacher training in Ukraine and European countries has been done.