Teacher Training in Theory and Practice

How young people can and should be trained by means of a course of studies to become teachers had repeatedly been the subject of academic debate and official regulations since the late 18th century. This debate is connected with the introduction of political directives concerning training for the teaching profession. What is the special task of teachers, and what is the specific difficulty of an academic training for the responsible exercise of the office of teacher? How can people be prepared for dealing with children and adolescents, and for arranging learning situations for the best of the learners and for the promotion of general progress?