The empathy and communication - pride personality's dimensions of the teacher

In this article we put in evidence that the efficiency of the didactic process depends, among others, on the teacher's empathy and communication skills, features involved in the structure of psycho-pedagogical competencies. Although they are so important, very little attention is given to these features. The communication ability is just reduced to the capacity of presenting information in a synthetic and accessible manner. The effective listening capacity, the active listening behaviour and, first of all, the attitudes shown in the act of communication with the student are not taken into account. Empathy is considered to be necessary only in advising students and parents and in making knowledge accessible. This has a native basis, but is built through systematic learning, not only through teaching practice. The mentor's role is huge: a model and an advisor for the student who is preparing to become a teacher; the mentor must constantly use his empathy and communication skills. Our goal was to shape the two dimensions of a teacher's personality in our students, within a training programme performed in continuation of the teaching practice. This programme uses specific contents and methods focused on action and interaction. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.