National Institute for Teaching Training and Education, Organization of Ibero-American

National Institute for Teaching Training and Education, Organization of Ibero-AmericanStates and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development to Begin Professional Teacher Training Program
San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic 12/9/2011

The Ministry of Education will undertake a pilot program in San Pedro de Macorís as part of a project to support the insertion of new teachers in the teaching process around the country. The program is being done through the National Institute for Teaching Training and Education (INAFOCAM in Spanish).

The initiative seeks to gain further knowledge on how new teachers can overcome some of the issues that arise on the job in the classroom, such as uncertainty, anxiety and insecurity, among other issues.

The Support Project for the Professional Teacher Training Program will also have support from the Organization of Ibero-American States and financing from the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development. The program will consist of a series of initiatives to facilitate the development of teachers who are just beginning their career. Throughout the year, the will have assistance from specialists on teaching in Latin America.

The initiative seeks to gain further knowledge on how new teachers can overcome some of the issues that arise on the job in the classroom, such as uncertainty, anxiety and insecurity, among other issues.

As a result of this project, it is hoped that new teachers will enter the field with adequate tools to do an effective job as well as instilling these coping skills in the educational system for the benefit of all teachers.

The plan was recently made public with the presentation of a video conference in a virtual classroom of INAFOCAM. Viewers looked at the experience of Argentina where they developed a new training system for beginning teachers. The video was narrated by Andrea Alliaud from the National Institute for Teaching Training of Argentina.

Throughout the presentation, Ms. Alliaud covered the topic of Professional Teacher Training: Development Policies for new teachers in professional consolidation, formative processes from a didactic and practical perspective in the school setting.

Alliaud said that in all professional areas, beginning a new job is always complicated but in the case of teachers, the situation can be exacerbated by the most difficult schools and grade levels.

She explained that in Argentina, teacher trainers accompany new teachers throughout their first years on the job.

The activity was headed by Gineida Castillo Díaz, INAFOCAM Executive Director,  Celeste Abreu, Advisor and Catalina Andújar Schéker, representative of the Organization of Ibero-American States in the Dominican Republic.

Others attending the conference included regional educational directors, tech teachers and teachers from San Pedro de Macorís as well as representatives from universities who develop teacher training programs.


Teachers attending the video-conference presented at INAFOCAM where guests listened to experiences from Argentina on the development of a teacher training system for new teachers.