ABSTRACT
It is well known that teacher education has been a major focus of criticism for a number of years. Factors that contribute to the debate center around the importance of quality teacher preparation, beginning teacher support programs, and ongoing professional development. Those who are the greatest critics propose radical changes in the preparation of teachers. However, throughout the literature the most overlooked and ignored are the critical factors in the education of the teacher-the psychological dimension. The focus has been and continues to be on preparing teachers in the instructional areas. However no matter how competent the individual and their technical skills of instruction, these skills can be severely masked by psychological factors which hinder teachers in carrying out their responsibilities. Those who propose teacher education programs quickly leap to the conclusion that subject matter knowledge is sufficient for teaching competence. It is true that subject matter knowledge and competence in teaching the subject are necessary, however they are not sufficient. What is missing is the psychological maturity and healthy human development of the teacher (Ammons and Hutcheson, 1989).
