Towards a New Model of Teacher Training in Europe

The current situation of European educational systems leads to the lack of historical precedents, considering that it implies the end of educational systems based on exclusion, configuring a new conception of educational systems that we are still not able to appreciate at their true value, because we were educated by and in the previous educational system. Lacking other references, we inevitably tend to compare current problems with previous situations, without understanding that the generalization of education to 100% of the population implies a qualitative change that modifies the objectives, forms of work, and the very essence of the educational system.This stage change, marked by the acceleration of social changes, including the pandemic situation, explains why, despite the best educational system so far, teachers with the best levels of training and a financial and material endowment unimaginable until recently, try a sense of crisis and a general feeling of confusion is manifested among the teachers and parents of the children, seeing that education is no longer what it used to be (Esteve, 1998).The key to defuse this apparent paradox is in the tendency to judge the new education system by the mentality and standards of the former selective education, in which most of the adults present were educated. Thus, although we continue to apply to the new general education situation the parameters of the previous situation, in which the selective system excluded every year the students who had behavior problems in the class or had difficulties regarding the mastery of certain educational subjects (Esteve, 1998). In this way, we are currently criticizing the school failure of a percentage of our students, without realizing that their schooling itself is a success, because, although their level is low, they had no level before. One speaks of a low educational level, when, in reality, the educational level is increasing—the general level of the people and the individual level of the best students (Baudelot&Establet, 1990). Indeed, it is true that in our education systems there are students with a very low educational level, although even so, it is a success that they have some education because they used to be on the streets; and, in any case, the current education system produces a higher percentage of students with higher levels than the best students of the 90s. The main element of change, the most substantial transformation, is the elimination of exclusion, today having access to secondary education, alongside students with an excellent level. Thousands of children who were previously expelled from it, thus comply with the European measures of access to education for all children and young people. The previous educational system can be compared to a hospital from which the sickest were kicked out, and those who created behavioral problems were eliminated through the selective mechanisms of the system.However, teaching today is qualitatively different from what it was 20-30 years ago. First of all, because working with a homogeneous group of children as a result of the selection or dealing with all the children in a country, with social and personal problems, is not the same thing. That is why many general education teachers are social workers rather than teachers; and the new configuration of our educational systems requires secondary teachers to assume diverse educational roles rather than the traditional one of intellectual training. History cannot go backwards; to have better quality educational systems, the solution is not to return to the exclusionary system. Society asks teachers to make an effort to integrate; but, during this time, our society must support and revalue the activity of teachers in order not to put them in front of impossible tasks. The transition from a selective to a general education was based on the increase/amplification of compulsory schooling. For the first timein history, European educational systems have assumed the role of declaring secondary education compulsory. This decision implies a new stage, a definitive break from the previous reality in which secondary education was reserved for those who later attend a university.