Teaching practice at the Faculty of Science, Charles University, through the eyes of pre-service teachers

Teaching practice is a key part of the training of future teachers, as it allows them to connect theoretical knowledge with the authentic school environment. The aim of this diploma thesis was to understand how teacher training students at the Faculty of Science, Charles University, evaluate their teaching practice and how they perceive it in the context of their professional orientation. The research was conducted using a mixed design and included a questionnaire survey among bachelor's and master's students, along with semi-structured interviews. The results show that students perceive teaching practice as a crucial opportunity to develop their professional identity, gain confidence in front of a class, and acquire teaching skills. At the same time, however, barriers were identified related to the variability in the quality of practice supervision, the insufficiently unified role of accompanying teachers, and the timing of practices within the study program. Students often mentioned the need for more systematic support and a more intensive link between theory and practice. The findings indicate that teaching practice significantly influences students' professional orientation and can contribute to the further development of the practice system at the faculty. Keywords teaching practice;...