Com ha de ser un bon mestre? Una mirada des de la psicologia positiva.

Abstract

This paper considers the characteristics of a good teacher, by drawing from an analysis of interviews with twenty experts whose experience in the Catalan education system straddles different stages of education and types of school centre. The experts’ responses were analysed according to the empirical and theoretical principles of Positive Psychology, using Peterson and Seligman’s “Character Strengths and Virtues” handbook (2004) to create a competency profile of the personal and social traits and skills that can guarantee teachers a degree of success. The results were also analysed according to the interviewees’ demographic and professional variables and compared with results obtained in similar research. One finding was that the reality of education students’ degree courses often fell short of their expectations. For this reason, the article concludes by proposing resources to reinforce the development of certain personal and social traits and abilities in education degrees, both in the course content of faculties of education and in tutorial action plans.