10.3 EDUCATION STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR GUIDANCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL EDUCATION

Professional work in the field of care and education in preschool education is performed by the following professionals: pedagogue, psychologist, social worker, special educator / special educator and rehabilitator, speech therapist, doctor of medicine and dentist. They are all required to have completed VII / 1 degree with 240 credits obtained according to ECTS and valid license for professional worker in preschool institution.

Professional associates in primary education are: pedagogue, psychologist, special educator and rehabilitator, sociologist, social worker, librarian and more. Professional assiciates are required to have completed VII / 1 degree with 240 credits obtained according to ECTS and passed state exam in order to be employed in schools.

The professional associate in school, within the 40-hour working week, according to his educational profile performs the following tasks: enrolling students and monitoring their development in school, realization of activities with students, professional orientation / career development of students, participation in the planning of educational work at the school level, support in the planning and realization of teaching, support to teachers in the selection and creation of didactic means and materials, support to teachers in working with students, supporting teachers in keeping pedagogical documentation and records, developing programs to improve the work of the school (improving student outcomes and achievements, inclusion, integration, interculture, democratic participation in school work, etc.), developing procedures and instruments for monitoring and evaluating student achievement and school self-evaluation , Participation in the planning, organization and realization of their own professional development and the professional development of the educational staff in the school, Cooperation and work with parents / guardians, Support of the work of the students’ community in the school, Application of the regulations for exercising the rights and duties of students, advancing and pronouncing pedagogical measures, organizing pedagogical and methodological practice of students, organizing and managing the work of the school library, keeping professional files and performing other activities determined by the annual program for work.

Professional associate who is employed for the first time in primary school is a trainee and has to spend one year in internship to be trained for independent professional work through the acquisition of basic professional competencies. Each trainee is appointed a mentor by the principal of the school who has to be in the same professional area. During the internship period the trainee is entitled to a salary in the amount of 90% of the salary of the professional associate. After the end of the internship period, the trainee takes a state professional exam organized by the State Examination Center in front of  expert commissions for implementation of the state exam formed by the director of the State Examination Center, comprised of advisors from Bureau for Development in Education, State Examination Center‘ s employee, and professional associates that have at least seven years of work experience in a verified educational institution and / or teachers from accredited higher education institutions in the relevant field.

The professional associates in the primary schools have the status of public service providers in primary education and the provisions from the Law on Teachers and Professional Associates are applied as well as the regulations in the field of public employees and general labor regulations. The following categories and levels for career advancements are determined in jobs: category L - professional associates, level L1: advisor (expert associate-advisor, expert associate-advisor in schools with students with disabilities), level L2: mentor (expert associate-mentor and professional associate-mentor in schools with students with disabilities), level L3: professional associate (professional associate, professional associate in schools with students with disabilities) and level L4: trainee (professional associate-trainee, professional associate-trainee in schools with students with disabilities).

Basic professional competencies for the professional associates in primary and secondary schools are determined in the RULEBOOK for the basic professional competencies in the areas of the professional associate in primary and secondary schools. Professional associates perform their duties that include professional values ​,​ knowledge and skills in the following areas:

- work with students;

- work with teachers;

- work with parents;

- cooperation with the community;

- professional development and professional cooperation;

- analytical-research work;

- school structure, organization and climate.

The area "Working with students" includes three sub-areas: supporting students in learning; monitoring and supporting student development and professional and career orientation of students.

The basic professional competencies of the expert associate from the sub-area Student support in learning refers to the understanding of individual differences in student learning, knowledge of methods and techniques for working with students, knowledge and use of appropriate learning and teaching strategies as well as student support in learning appropriate with their needs.

Basic professional competencies from the sub-area Monitoring and development support the students relate to the knowledge and application of different types of strategies and approaches in individual and group form of teaching work and communication with students to develop their self-confidence, humanity, solidarity, multiculturalism, interculturalism, interethnic cooperation and integration, democratic participation, etc.

Basic professional competencies from the sub-area Professional and career student orientation refers to the knowledge and appropriate use of methods, techniques and instruments for professional orientation, counseling and career guidance of students.

In the area "Working with teachers" there are three sub-areas expected to be covered: support to teachers in the planning and implementation of the educational process and self-evaluation; supporting teachers in working with students and supporting teachers in working with parents.

The basic professional competencies from the sub-area Support to teachers in the planning and implementation of the educational process and self-evaluation refers to the knowledge of strategic, conceptual and programmatic documents and standards for the education subsystem in which he/she works, knowledge of the principles and approaches to planning and assessment, as well as assisting teachers in planning, the realization of the teaching, monitoring and the evaluation of the students, taking into account the individual characteristics and needs of the students in the given developmental periods.

The basic professional competencies of the expert associate from the sub-area Teacher support for working with students refers to knowledge of different teaching methods, learning and teaching strategies, adapt the teaching to the characteristics to students, as well as providing professional support to teachers in establishing good communication between students and teachers and students with each other.

The basic professional competencies from the sub-area Teacher support for working with parents refers to the knowledge and skills for development of a strategy, ie selection of methods and contents for cooperation between teachers and parents.

The area "Cooperation with the community" covers two sub-areas: cooperation with the local community and cooperation with professional institutions and organizations. This means that the professional associate participate participation in the planning, implementation and monitoring the activities of the school and the community that improve the achievements of students. The basic professional competencies of the expert associate from the sub-area Cooperation with professional institutions and organizations refers to the knowledge and skills of achieving cooperation with the relevant institutions when working with a certain group of students, teachers, parents and for their own work.

Professional associates are also responsible for the area "Professional Development and Professional Cooperation" that includes two sub-areas: personal professional development and support for professional development and cooperation in the school.

The basic professional competencies of the expert associate from the sub-area Personal professional development refers to the knowledge and skills about improving their own practice, as well as for planning, keeping records and organizing evidence of their own professional development.

The basic professional competencies of the expert associate from the sub-area Supporting professional development and cooperation in school relate to knowledge and skills in preparation of the instruments, data collection and needs analysis for the professional development of teachers. The competencies of the expert associate for this sub-area imply possessing knowledge and skills for the realization of various forms of training for the teaching staff.