In education, much is said about reforms, programs, examinations, and curricula. Far less attention is given to teachers as professionals: what it truly means to build a solid profession around teaching. In Romania, continuous professional development for teachers is often associated with accumulating credits or attending courses and conferences. For many, it has become an administrative obligation rather than a genuine growth process – not because of a lack of motivation, but because of limited time or practical relevance.
Against this backdrop, teachers from Avenor College share what it means, in concrete terms, to be a well-prepared teacher today.
The educational environment is constantly evolving, and the professionalization of teaching can no longer be an individual endeavor, according to the experts consulted. Teachers need mentoring, collaboration, and schools that themselves function as learning spaces for adults.
What It Means to Be a Well-Prepared Teacher Today
Being a well-prepared teacher means more than mastering the subject you teach. It means transforming complex concepts into meaningful learning experiences and supporting the development of students’ critical thinking and autonomy.
Today’s teacher continuously adapts their practice to students’ real needs through an ongoing process of reflection, collaboration, and professional learning that includes curriculum design, authentic assessment, and the responsible integration of technology, explain Avenor representatives. In their case, teacher development begins as early as the recruitment process.
“During recruitment, beyond the rigorous assessment of professional competencies, we are also concerned with the deeper dimension of compatibility with Avenor College. We tell candidates the Avenor story and seek to understand whether we share the same vision of education and the same professional standards. For us, excellence in teaching goes hand in hand with responsibility, including a strong commitment to safeguarding principles and the ability to create a safe environment in which every child is protected, respected, and supported in reaching their full potential. Professionalization begins with competence, but it is strengthened through values and through the responsibility we assume for the impact we have on every student, every day,” says Cristina Willows, Director of People & Operations and Deputy Executive Director at Avenor.
The onboarding process before the start of each school year includes dedicated days for joint training, planning, and pedagogical alignment. Newly hired teachers participate in an extensive induction program focused on school culture, student safety, and professional expectations. Feedback collected from new staff each year contributes to the continuous refinement of the process through an approach based on reflection rather than assumptions.
Investing in the Future of the Profession
Education needs teachers who are well supported at the beginning of their careers, and the Teachers for Teachers program is one of the ways Avenor’s leaders aim to contribute to professionalization. The two-year program provides mentoring and practical training to graduates and early-career teachers. To date, seven teachers have benefited from the program.
Development, Not Formal Evaluation
The way teachers adapt their classroom practices and relationships with students is closely linked to performance evaluation.
“Performance evaluation is designed as a professional growth process. Each teacher sets annual individual goals, including one specifically dedicated to continuous professional development, supported through internal courses, external training programs, conferences, and collaborative work with colleagues,” say representatives of the college.
“Being in my first year at Avenor College, I discovered that professional development is not merely a theoretical concept but a genuine driver of everyday activity. The Performance Management process and the establishment of Professional Learning and Development (PLD) goals helped me define a clear direction from the very beginning. I feel that this system provides concrete support during the lessons I observe. I have learned tremendously by monitoring my progress and adapting my teaching methods. The impact is visible directly in the classroom, in my interactions with students from preparatory grade through fourth grade, where I can apply new techniques that keep them engaged, active, and curious. It is a continuous learning process that gives me confidence that I can make an authentic contribution to every child’s development.” – Ovidiu Mirăuță, Learning Assistant
“For me, professional development is a deliberate process that helps me maintain high standards in my day-to-day work. In a school that places such a strong emphasis on holistic development and the wellbeing of the entire community, I continually seek opportunities to refine my skills through professional learning. This has allowed me to participate in programs from the school’s professional development portfolio, such as Teaching with Love and Logic and From Values to Action: Making SMSC Visible in Secondary. This year, I also chose the AI Unplugged: Teaching Smarter, Not Harder course offered by Avenor, which is already helping me reduce part of my administrative workload and giving me more time to focus on the other important aspects of my role as a teacher and school counselor.” – Anda Costache, School Counselor and Form Tutor Teacher, Grade 8 Omega
Communities of Practice: Learning Does Not Happen in Isolation
Authentic professional development requires dialogue and collective reflection, explain Avenor representatives.
“Performance Management has become a space for honest reflection, where I can organize my achievements, challenges, and growth steps. In the classroom, I see how my commitment translates into students’ courage to try, their joy of learning, and their desire to seek answers. And perhaps more strongly than ever before, I feel that I belong to a community that develops not only well-prepared students but also balanced individuals with open hearts and minds,” says Ancuța Floreanu, Primary School Teacher, Class 1 Delta.
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Avenor actively contributes to the conversation around education in Romania by promoting best practices and collaborating with relevant editorial partners in the field of education. We aim to bring greater clarity and perspective to the dialogue between schools and parents, supporting informed and responsible decisions regarding children’s educational journeys.
