New pedagogical reality: challenges and answers

The relevance of the research is expressed in the study of the impact of changes in society on pedagogical reality and in determining the directions of its transformation. The purpose of the paper is to identify the professional challenges of the teaching profession and to substantiate the need to revise the basic functions of teaching activities. The research methods are: theoretical analysis of factors influencing the teaching profession; synthesis and interpretation of data on the characteristics of the activities of the subjects of the educational process, difficulties, and opportunities of pedagogical interaction. The result of the research is revealed in the substantiation of the provisions on advanced professional training of future teachers at the university, the formation of their pedagogical picture of the world. The conclusion about the need for future teachers to master the norms of the pedagogical ethos has been made, and the stages of this process have been provided. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the enrichment of the theory of pedagogy with knowledge about the value foundations and the content of pedagogical activity in a society of high modernity; new functions of pedagogical activity; features of the development of teaching practice. The practical significance is seen in the possibility of using the paper materials for further research; studying the processes of teaching, upbringing and development in new conditions; development of training materials for university students and students of advanced training courses