*3.1. The First Dimension*

Understanding of practice subtleties in relating with family members reveals family members' support for future special educators, who are getting familiar with peculiarities of the chosen specialty during their observational practice (see Table 1).

While solving problems, which they encountered in practice, students received information, support and assistance from their family members. Students mostly lacked information and skills of communication with children and possibilities of providing assistance for them. Reflections revealed that mothers helped students most in comparison with other family members. Based on her teaching experience, the mother "...much helped to understand how to communicate with children [...] encouraged, morally supported..." Mother's psychological support, consolation, and encouragemen<sup>t</sup> motivated students to go deep into the study area, increased their self-confidence, foreseeing their possible actions with children in the future: "... because I was very afraid to do practice [...] my mother calmed me down [...] said what I can expect, what awaits me [...]". Different special educators' activity aspects were analyzed; ways of behavior and assistance were studied and children's disabilities were discussed, considering the type of the disability.


**Table 1.** Understanding of Practice Subtleties in Relating with Family Members.

Mothers were also the ones who mostly encouraged students to evaluate their choice of studies by making sure that students were suited for the chosen profession: "...helped to understand the importance of practice, so that I could find out if I can work, if I am not afraid of such work and whether I entered where I wanted ... " They discussed personality traits required for the special educator, the most important being responsibility and dutifulness. Family members deliberately hoped that discussions about future professional activities would affect students' actions and attitude towards science, motivate them for responsible and purposeful future activities, and encourage them to embrace (self)development of the personality traits needed for this work.

A mother encouraged her ward to perceive professional role through investigation of activities: "... she would always say that it was necessary to investigate everything, so that you could understand whether you like it..." Investigation of performed activities helped to better understand their professional roles: "... helped me to imagine myself as a special educator..."; abilities of investigative activities and learning to learn were also developed. Based on personal experience, students' parents would consider future complex professional activity areas while working with disabled people.
