Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

Normalista Superior

English translation:

Normalista Superior (qualified preschool/elementary school teacher)

Added to glossary by Charles Davis
Jul 16, 2015 11:34
8 yrs ago
35 viewers *
Spanish term

Normalista Superior

Spanish to English Other Education / Pedagogy
This is for a degree conferring this title of Normalista Superior, from a Normal School (Teachers' College) from what I understand. Is this a Certificate in Education? Or perhaps Certificate in High School Education? (Escuela Superior usually refers to high school) so I wasn't sure if this had something to do with it. I didn't think it could be a Bachelor's degree what we call in the USA because that usually requires 4 years at an undergraduate institution, which this is a secondary school, and this is a secondary school (attended at the ages of 15-16). Thanks in advance!
Change log

Jul 23, 2015 22:55: Charles Davis Created KOG entry

Discussion

neilmac Jul 16, 2015:
Country of origin Educational terminology is a minefield at the best of times are and L. Am in particular is full of weirdy-sounding things like this. Perhaps if we knew which country the text was from we might have a better idea.

Proposed translations

+1
44 mins
Selected

Normalista Superior (qualified preschool/elementary school teacher)

I think you should put the Spanish term (in italics) and explain it in parentheses. Since your previous question referred to Colombia I am assuming this one does as well.

Normalista Superior in Colombia is a qualification (it's debatable whether you can really call it a degree) from an Escuela Normal Superior. Escuelas normales have a long history in Colombia, which is quite usefully summarised here:
http://es.slideshare.net/estefaniaposada3/historia-de-las-es...

Nowadays they are called Escuelas normales superiores and are essentially teacher-training colleges. There are two qualifications you can obtain by studying at an ENS: Bachiller and Normalista Superior. The first is awarded for completing a course in (elementary) education but does not qualify the holder to teach. The second involves a further two-year "ciclo" or module in teacher training, and the holder is qualified to teach at the preschool or elementary school level.

This is specified in Decree 968 of 1995 which amends Decree 2903 of 1994:

"Artículo 2°. El artículo 8 del Decreto 2903 del 31 de diciembre de 1994 queda así:
"Artículo 8. A quienes finalicen y aprueben el nivel de educación media en las escuelas normales superiores se les expedirá el título de Bachiller, en donde se especificará la profundización en el campo de la educación, de acuerdo con lo dispuesto en el artículo 29 de la Ley 115 de 1994 y a quienes finalicen y aprueben el ciclo complementario de formación docente, se les otorgará el título de Normalista Superior.
De conformidad con los artículos 116 y 117 de la Ley 115 de 1994, el título de Normalista Superior debidamente expedido, acreditará para el ejercicio de la docencia en el nivel de preescolar y en el ciclo de educación básica primaria. El título de bachiller expedido por una normal superior no acredita para el ejercicio de la docencia, según lo dispone la Ley 115 de 1994."

The same decree defines the ENS for us:

"La escuela normal superior ofrecerá obligatoriamente el nivel de educación media académica con profundización en el campo de la educación y la formación pedagógica y un ciclo complementario de formación docente de dos (2) años, con énfasis en un área del conocimiento aplicable a la educación básica primaria."
http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=...

You could, if you wish, add a translator's note explaining some of the detail (such as the fact that the holder of this thing has graduated from an Escuela Normal Superior or teacher-training college/college of education), but I think the Spanish term followed by an explanation such as I've suggested would serve the purpose.

The wording of the English explanation will depend on whether you're expressing this in terms of the qualification or the holder. If it's the former, you could say "qualification in preeschool/elementary school teacher". I think it would be better to say "qualification" rather than "certificate" or "degree", because it's difficult to decide on the equivalence.
Note from asker:
Charles, thanks so much. This is really helpful and insightful!
Peer comment(s):

agree neilmac : ... :)
1 hr
Another one for our collection of weird educational terms. Cheers, Neil ;)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
2 days 5 hrs

Normal School graduate

"normal school" is also used in the US.

See Normal school - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_school
Wikipedia.
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name. Most such schools are now called teachers' colleges.

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Note added at 2 days5 hrs (2015-07-18 17:09:06 GMT)
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maybe teacher's college would be better
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Reference comments

9 mins
Reference:

El término "normalista" ...

Perhaps this word reference query and discussion might help, it mentions Colombia and Chile; apparently it used to refer to teacher training in the latter, but is no longer used.

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Note added at 10 mins (2015-07-16 11:45:13 GMT)
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DRAE: escuela normal. 1. f. Aquella en que se hacen los estudios y la práctica necesarios para obtener el título de maestro de primera enseñanza.
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

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Note added at 12 mins (2015-07-16 11:46:36 GMT)
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Another problem is "Superior". Does it mean "Higher" or "Senior", and if so, does it refer to a teacher training course for secondary education?
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