25 49 Seminar - app.mhpss.net Title: 25_49_Seminar Author: MacTMC 09 Created Date: 10/5/2005 3:14:41 PM

The main messageTeachers who volunteer for training usuallyhave a variety of motives. Some teacherswish to receive professional support andhelp with solving their everyday problems,some want to fill their knowledge deficits,some will want to receive confirmation fortheir pedagogic endeavours, and some sim-ply want to come in contact with people whohave similar problems and to exchange expe-riences with them. All of them want toreceive recognition for their efforts. The mainmessage of the training could therefore besummarised as follows: Teachers are very impor-tant people in the life of children. They can make areal difference, just by using their natural capacitiesand acquired professional skills and attitudes.

Basic goalsThe seminars for teachers have the follow-ing basic goals:1. Empowerment of the teachers through

enlarging their capacities to cope withprofessional burdens and their owntraumatic experiences,

2. Organising existing knowledge andinsight, and where necessary, providingadditional knowledge of psychological,psychosocial and cognitive processes instudents and teachers,

3. Enabling exchange of experiencesamong participants and encouragingthem to share and transfer knowledgein the local school system, and in thecommunity in general,

4. Motivating and energising participantsto acquire new attitudes and implementpsychosocial activities in their workwithin the classroom, and with individ-ual children and parents in need.

The seminars as steps in a processThe program for teachers consists of four

amodules of 3 days each. They represent acontinuous learning process and application

fof new knowledge in practice. At the end ofeach module some time should be dedicat-ed to discussing what the teachers will beable to transfer to their schools. In order to ensure continuity, the intervalbetween any two modules is preferably fourweeks. At the end of each module, teachersreceive a certificate. The final certificate isissued after the last module.The original structure can be changedaccording to circumstances (shorter dura-

ttion and more than four modules, etc.) butcontinuity is needed for building groupcohesion and fulfilling learning and moti-vating processes.

Educational methodsfThe following methods are used: lectures of

20 - 30 minutes, discussion in small groups,presentation of the results of discussion insmall groups to all participants, role-play,relaxation techniques and expressive exer-cises (drawing, positive imaginary, play,etc.). In terms of the program, we recom-mend the following:1. Start with two or three short lectures.

The first is about the general principlesof the program and is delivered by theinternational trainer (in the remainderof the seminars, the international train-er is active only as a coach for the local

atrainers). The second lecture, run by alocal trainer is about the local situation,psychosocial problems, and the situa-tion of the educational system andteachers in the region. The third lecture

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Anica Mikus KosAnica Mikus Kos

f6. The seminars for teachers

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introduces the topic of the first groupdiscussion.

2. Group discussions will be done ingroups of 10 participants. The organis-er should insist on mixing teachersfrom different villages and schools ineach group. Teachers from the sameschools tend to remain together and toenter into the same group.Each discussion takes 90 minutes. Ittreats a topic presented in one of thepresented lectures (for example: Thetraumatised child in my classroom – how havewe helped him, what else could we do forhim?). During the group discussions,??teachers present examples from theirpractice and their own ways of solvingproblems. At the beginning of the meet-ing, the group chooses the reporters,and at the end the group prepares oneor more posters.

3. Presentation of the results of discussionin small groups to all participants in theplenary session. This can be donethrough prepared posters with someadditional oral comments and explana-tions by the presenters, or by plenarypresentation of role-playing.

4. Role-play can be used as a tool for theteachers when they want to presentexamples from their own professionalexperience. In the beginning role-playshould deal with less demanding prob-lems, only after participants are wellacquainted with this method can moredifficult cases and situations can betackled. In the session intended for role-play, the group can perform two orthree different scenarios. Role-play canalso be presented to all participants.

The first seminarThe first seminar is always the most diffi-cult; it is the test of the program. Both the

international and local trainers are anxiousat what might happen. Will all participantsaccept the program? Will they find it inter-esting? Will they be willing to cooperatewithin group discussions and in role-play?The participation of teachers during thesecond module, i.e., the dropout rate afterthe first module, depends on their satisfac-

ttion with the first module. We can say thatthe first module tunes the program and for-mats the attitudes of teachers toward theprogram as a whole.During the first module, teachers shouldgain mutual trust and a feeling of security,and feel both accepted and respected. Thetrainers should repeatedly stress the contri-

gbution of teachers to the child’s wellbeingand positive development. Teachers arerarely praised for their merits. Stressing thevalue of their support to children is an hom-age, which they merit. Teachers who volun-teer to participate in a psychosocial pro-gram are those who are the most eager tohelp children and parents. International trainers must provide supportto local trainers and give them supportivefeedback, tactfully suggesting alternatives tocounter possible imperfections in theirapproach.It is important to stress, that the program isa process, in which the knowledge andknow-how of teachers, and the local andinternational trainers, are developed step bystep. It does not have to be perfect from thevery first day. It is essential to use the ‘we approach’ from

fthe very beginning of common work. Ifthere are some mistakes, or failure in therealisation of the seminar, than those aredue to both agents - local and internationaltrainers. If problems arise, they have to bediscussed and solved in a constructive way,stressing the common objectives of all peo-ple involved in the program.

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T f6. The seminars for teachersTraining teachers in areas of armed conflict, Intervention Supplement, Vol 3.2, Page 25 - 49

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During the first seminar, teachers areaccepting the principles of the program,adjusting to the climate and rules of work.Therefore people leading the seminar haveto insist on punctuality, on not commentingduring the presentation (if not agreed oth-erwise), and on the principles and rules ofgroup discussion, etc. If the rules are notrespected during the first module, it will bemuch harder to achieve later.

The period between two modulesThis period in between is the time for teach-ers to implement new attitudes, knowledgeand models of good practice in their class-rooms and schools. Visits of trainers are a potent means forimplementation of psychosocial attitudesand activities in particular schools and inthe school system.Two trainers of different professional back-grounds, for instance a teacher and a physi-cian, will visit schools included in the pro-gram, on as regular a basis as possible.The program of visits may include:• Discussions with the director and with

teachers about needs of the school andimplemented psychosocial activities,

• Short workshops, lasting two to fourhours, attended by all teachers of the vis-ited school. These workshops are run bylocal trainers, and are about subjectssuch as: Traumatized children and chil-dren experiencing loss – how to helpthem; How to help children with learn-ing difficulties; Prevention of violence inthe school; Cooperation with parents;The professional burdens of teachersand prevention of burn-out. Planningfuture cooperation of trainers with theschool,

• Workshops or other activities such as lec-tures, meetings, discussion with groupsof parents. Local trainers who visit the

school in cooperation with the teachersalso run these activities. They improve

gthe functioning of the school concerningcooperation with parents and demon-strate models of good practice of suchcooperation,

• Discussion with individual teachersabout general problems concerning thepsychosocial climate of the school, orproblems of psychosocial nature that theschools are facing,

• Group work with children. Local train-ers, in cooperation with volunteers andteachers, carry this out. The aim is tooffer the children interesting activities,permitting them to express their feelings,and to develop social skills,

• Monitoring of psychosocial activitiesintroduced and run by teachers,

• Assessment by the local trainers of prob-glems with individual children, learning

problems, behavioural problems, etc.,• Counselling for children, parents and

teachers of children with problems bylocal trainers,

f• Introducing and supporting activities ofvolunteers where possible,

• Any other activities required by school.

The following three seminars are tailor-made; choices were based on the experi-ences of the teachers and their needs. Itemscan be chosen and adapted from theoverview in the next paragraph. See Table1. For an example of a program using allfour seminars.

The programA choice is made from the following items:1. Introduction

Item 1.1 The aims, the philosophy andthe methods of the program for teachers

f2. Methods used during the training ofteachers

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Item 2.1 Group workItem 2.2 Role-playItem 2.3 Expressive and relaxationtechniques

3. The role of the school, creating anempowering and protective schoolItem 3.1 The protective role of theschoolItem 3.2 The psychosocial climate ofthe schoolItem 3.3 CommunicationItem 3.4 Relationships between theteacher and pupilsItem 3.5 Relationships between teach-ers at schoolItem 3.6 Motivation for learning

4. The child, the family and the schoolItem 4.1 Cooperating with parentsItem 4.2 Trauma in adultsItem 4.3 Dysfunctional familiesItem 4.4 Violence and child abuse infamilies – the protective role of theschool Item 4.5 The impact of poverty – howthe school can counteract and reducethe effects of poverty

5. Relationships among peers and prob-lems between peersItem 5.1 Relationships among pupilsItem 5.2 Bullying and school violence –how can the school prevent it

6. Most common problems of pupils- howto help the child and how to managethe problems in the classroomItem 6.1 Stress in childrenItem 6.2 The traumatized childItem 6.3 Loss and grieving of child andfamilyItem 6.4 The depressed childItem 6.5 The child with health prob-

lems and the physically disabled childItem 6.6 Cooperation between theschool and health servicesItem 6.7 The hyperactive childItem 6.8 The aggressive childItem 6.9 Learning difficulties andschool failure

7. The teacher as a person, the teacher asa professional todayItem 7.1 The situation of the school,and the situation and role of teachers inour region todayItem 7.1 The impact of the teachers’profession on his family life Item 7.3 Burdens and stress linked tothe teaching professionItem 7.4 Burn-out: coping and preven-tion

8. Linking with the communityItem 8.1The school and the communi-tyItem 8.2 Voluntary work in schoolsItem 8.3 Children’s rights

9. EvaluationItem 9.1 Evaluation of the previousseminarItem 9.2 Final evaluations

The itemseItem 1.1: The aims, the philosophy and the

methods of the program for teachersPurpose:• To inform the teachers about the aims,

the philosophy and the methods of theprogram.

• To highlight the usefulness of the pro-gram in the present situation in theregion

Content:• The aim of psychosocial programs for

teachers in the development and integra-

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tion of protective factors and processes inthe functioning of the primary school,which is the institution including allschool-aged children

• The program is interactive, all partici-pants are owners of the program, it ismostly based on local know-how of localtrainers and teachers, and on exchangeof experience

• The methods of the program: short lec-tures, group work (presentation of cases,sharing experience, discussion, reflec-tion, etc.), plenary group reporting andpresentation of posters produced in thegroup work, role-play, expressive andrelaxation techniques, assessment of theimplementation of acquired skills at pre-vious modules, evaluation by teachers ingroup work and by questionnaires

• The implementation of learned ideasand models of good practice in schools isthe ultimate goal of the program

MMethods:• Lecture presented by the international

expert, 15 minutes• Some introductory words by the local

person responsible for the program, 10minutes

Item 2.1: Principles and methods of groupworkPurpose:• To prepare the teachers for facilitating

group work within the framework of theseminar

• To stimulate the teachers to use groupwork in their classes

Content:• A summary of different groups in which

people are included (family, working groups,groups of self help, sport groups, etc.)

• The function of groups: emotional andpractical support

• Basic principles and rules of group work:

equality, mutual respect, the right toexpress one’s opinion without being criti-cized, respecting time limitations, respect-ing confidentiality, respecting formalagreements, seating arrangements, turn-ing off mobile phones, not smoking, etc.

• The role of the moderators (facilitators,trainers) during group work

f• The output of group work: exchange ofideas, exchanges of models of good prac-tice, emotional support, acknowledge-ment of members of the group, possiblesolutions for unsolved problems, motiva-

gtion and empowerment for introducinginnovations, etc.

• Appointing the spokesman and prepar-ing a poster for reporting results in a ple-nary session

• Plenary presentations of discussed cases,identification of helping or problem solv-

fing approaches, identification ofunsolved problems

Method:• Short lecture, 10 – 20 minutesItem 2.2: Role-playPurpose:• To explain to the teachers the aims and

benefits of the method• To explain the principles and the proce-

dures of role-play• To motivate the teachers to participate in

role-play during the present courseContent:• The function of role-play is to provide

opportunities for players to ‘ eenter into theshoes of somebody else’, to develop under-standing and empathy for other people’sdifficulties, to display different and alter-native solutions

• The procedure of organizing role-play:defining the scenario, defining players,duration of the play

• Discussion by players and by the audi-ence

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• Formulating the lessons learned• Most common problems: too complicat-

ed scenario’s are chosen in the begin-ning, players are switching from theirrole to the role of observers and com-mentators; participants and observersare tempted to evaluate the quality of theacting instead of discussing emotions,insights and solutions

MMethod:• Short lecture, 10 minutesItem 2.3: Expressive techniques and relax-ation techniquesPurpose: • To raise awareness of the participants of

the importance of expressive and relax-ation techniques for the psychosocial andemotional development of children

• To motivate teachers to integrate expres-sive and relaxation techniques in everyday professional activities in the class-room

Content:• Explanation of the function and the

empowering or healing influences ofrelaxation and expressive techniques inevery day life, in stress situations, andwhen dealing with children with difficul-ties. Teachers play an important role inthe development of children’s imagina-tion and in encouraging various ways ofexpression. Creative work will raise chil-dren’s self-esteem

• Presentation of some expressive andrelaxation techniques, which can be usedby teachers for themselves and for theirstudents

• Demonstration of some techniquesappropriate for use in school: drawing,painting, sculpting, drama, music, physi-cal exercises, and social games

MMethods:• Lecture, including some practical exer-

cises, 45 minutes

• Asking participants to present someexpressive and relaxation exercises,which are familiar to them, or whichthey have already used in practice

• Performance of some exercises by allparticipants

Item 3.1: The protective role of the school Purpose:• To give information about the impor-

tance of the school as a protective factorfor the psychosocial development of chil-dren and their mental health

f• To raise awareness of the participants ofthe irreplaceable role of the teacher inidentifying children living in difficult cir-cumstances, and helping them bystrengthening these positive factors

• To empower and motivate the teachersfor taking on the role of psychosocialhelper to children in need in their classes

Content:• The importance of the primary school: it

is a place where children are obliged tostay for at least 6, and often, 9 years

• Brief presentation of the eco-systemapproach: different systems (family,school, neighbourhood, religious organi-zations, health services, etc.), whichinteract and determine the child’s mentalhealth, psychosocial development, psy-chosocial disorders and coping capacities

• School in itself has many positive andprotective factors (see chapter on protec-tive role of the school) especially a goodrelationship with the teacher, good rela-tionships with peers, success in learning,or in a particular course, or in a particu-lar activity developed at school.

f• The protective role of the school is ofspecial importance in cases of trauma-tized children and children living in diffi-cult circumstances since in these casesthe family could be affected as well, and

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not able to provide sufficient protectionand support for these children

• The school can also be a potent source ofrisk factors, affecting the emotional well-being and psychosocial development ofchildren

• Risk factors like school failure, bullying,exclusion, problems with teachers, etc.are especially dangerous for childrenwho already have psychosocial prob-lems, or are burdened by other risk fac-tors as family war traumas, family adver-sities, etc. In such cases school relatedrisk factors can have a cumulative nega-tive impact

• School failure affects the child’s selfesteem, motivation, and relationshipswith parents, psychosocial wellbeing,and coping capacities. The last is espe-cially important for traumatized children

MMethods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutesItem 3.2: The psychosocial climate of theschool Purpose:• To raise the awareness of the participants

of the importance of the psychosocial cli-mate of the school, and of the classroom,for the emotional wellbeing of children,their sense of security, motivation forlearning, and positive social behaviour

• To analyse factors and circumstancesinfluencing the psychosocial climate

• To inform and motivate the teachers tocreate a good psychosocial climate

• To draw attention to the importance ofthe teacher in the psychosocial climate ofthe classroom

Content:• The meaning of the school for the quali-

ty of life of children, their emotionalwellbeing, motivation, and psychosocialdevelopment

• The school as the social system

• The roles of the teacher, class structure,interpersonal relationships, written andunwritten social rules, school and classethos, cultural and social characteristicsof parents, school principal, characteris-tic of the school system, general social,cultural and political circumstances

• The importance of a positive psychoso-cial climate of the school, and in class,for the efficient work of the teacher andfor a good school output

• Some indicators of a good psychosocialclimate of the school: providing a friend-ly, rewarding and motivating climate; thelevel of safety feelings in children, toler-ance, supporting cooperation and activelearning; absence of physical punishmentand violence; preventing bullying, mal-treatment and discrimination; appreciat-ing development and creative activities;connecting school and family lifethrough involvement of parents; promot-ing equal possibilities and participationin decision processes of children, con-structive ways of solving conflicts

Method: Lecture and discussion, 30 minutesItem 3.3: Communication Purpose:

f• To raise the awareness of the teachers ofthe importance of quality communica-tion in general, and especially the com-munication between teachers, studentsand parents

• To demonstrate different ways of com-munication, focusing on good models

• To draw attention to most frequentlyoccurring mistakes

Content:f• Communication - the essential part of

the relationship between the teacher andhis students, and the teacher and the par-ents

• Verbal and nonverbal communication• The ability and art of listening

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• Different tools of communication: bodylanguage, facial expression, gesturing,characteristics of the voice, positioning,etc.

• Examples of common inappropriate orharmful methods of communication

MMethod: Lecture, 30 minutesItem 3.4: Relationships between teacherand pupils Purpose:• To give information about productive

methods and forms of a good teacher-student relationships

• To raise awareness of the importance ofa good teacher-student relationship forthe student, and for the teacher

Content:• The key-word characterising a good rela-

tionship is mutual respect between theteacher and his students, and betweenstudents

• In school, teachers should create goodrelationships with their students by beingfriendly and using humour; by knowingthe students and their situation; byaccepting the students as they are, withtheir disabilities, without undervaluingthem and ridiculing them; by stimulatingchildren’s positive contributions by giv-ing compliments; by maintaining disci-pline using appropriate methods; bycommunicating with children in a friend-ly, accommodating and understandableway; by using creative activities; by sup-porting good family-school relationships

MMethods: • Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes. • Group work with the following instruc-

tions:1. Describe a case of a pleasant relation-

ship with a pupil; what are the charac-teristics? Write your answers are on abig sheet of paper

2. Describe a case of a difficult relation-

ship with a pupil, what did you do toimprove the relationship? What waseffective and what made things worse?

fWrite your answers on a big sheet ofpaper, mentioning problems and strate-gies used.

3. Enact a role-play about ‘talking to a dif-ficult pupil with whom a problem wassolved’. Choose one of the problem sit-uations described earlier in the session.Participants not involved as actors inthe role-play observe the communica-tion between the teacher and the pupil,in particular the verbal and non-verbalaspects. Another option: make groupsof three: one acts, as the teacher, one asthe pupil and one is observer. Discussthe feelings experienced by participantsacting as a teacher, as a pupil, and as anobserver. Discuss: What was helpful and what was not?Write your conclusions on a paperAfter this, a role-play can be done withanother successful case or a case can beplayed that not is solved yet. This role-play is also followed by discussion andthe conclusions are written down

4. Summarise the session: the groupmakes an overview in reaction to thefollowing question: What did we learnabout effective strategies related toproblem solving with a pupil?

tItem 3.5: Relations between teachers atschoolPurpose: To raise attention to good collegialrelationships between teachers, good rela-tionships between teachers and other work-ers in school, and the role of the schoolprincipal in supporting these good relationsContent: • The psychosocial climate and relation-

ships depend upon the profile, or per-sonal and social characteristics, of mem-bers of the school, organisational charac-

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teristics (authoritarian, democratic, etc),physical, economic and broader socialcharacteristics in which the schoolworks, the educational policy, the atti-tudes of the society at large towards edu-cation

• Good relationships can be maintainedthrough mutual respect, good leadershipby the school principal, cooperationbetween teachers, knowing each other, etc.

• Ways of conflict prevention and manage-ment.

• The impact of disturbed relationshipsamong teachers on students.

MMethod: Lecture and discussion, 30 minutesItem 3.6. Motivation for learningPurpose:• To give information about ways of moti-

vating children for learning• To raise the awareness of the participants

of the connection between academic per-formance of children and 1. their rela-tionship with the teacher, and 2. didacticmethods used

Content:WWays of motivating pupils:• A good relationship between the pupils

and the teacher• Use of methods that stimulate the curios-

ity of children • Make subjects of teaching relevant for

children’s life• Make abstract things concrete• Make lessons interactive• Ask for opinions; stimulate children to

free thought and sharing• Give feedback on what they did right

and what went wrong• Let them work in groupsMMethod: Lecture and discussion, 20 minutes

Item 4.1: Cooperating with parents Purpose:• To raise the awareness of the participants

of the importance of a good cooperationbetween the teacher and the parents withrespect to the child.

• To explain the interaction between theschool system and the family system

• To present models of good practice andproblem solving solutions

f• To point out most frequent pitfalls ofteachers which can have a harmfulimpact on parent-teacher relationships

Content:• Successful functioning of the teacher-par-

ent-child triangle is a guarantee for thewellbeing of children in the school, andfor successful problem solving

• The school system and the family sys-tem: good cooperation, lack of coopera-tion, conflicting relationships

• The importance of understanding thegdifficulties of parents, and establishing

partnership with parents• Formal and informal ways of communi-

cating with parents• The special importance of good coopera-

tion with parents of children having dif-ficulties and in crisis situations

• Most frequent obstacles, difficulties andconflicts in cooperation with parents

• So called ‘difficult parents’• Most common pitfalls for teachers,

which can contribute to problems: lackof teachers’ understanding of the fami-ly situation, of social adversities affect-ing the family, lack of communicationskills, blaming parents for the child’sproblem

• How to talk with parents about theirchild having a problem in a non-offen-sive and non-judgemental way, and with-out harming the child

• Prevention and solutions of problems• How to run attractive meetings for parents• Parents councils• Involving parents in school activities as

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helpers, and in raising funds and otherresources for the school

MMethods: • Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work on the following instruc-

tions:1. Describe a case of a pleasant relationship

with a parent, what are the characteris-tics? Write your answers on a big sheetof paper.

2. Describe a case of a difficult relationshipwith a parent, what are the problems ofthe relationship? What factors or causesare contributing to the difficult behaviourof the parent? What did you do toimprove this relationship? What washelpful and what was not? Write youranswers on a big sheet of paper, mention-ing problems, causes and strategies used

3. Enact a role-play about: ‘Talking to a diffi-cult parent with whom a problem was solved’.After the role-play, discuss the feelings ofthe participants acting as a parent, as ateacher or as an observer. Discuss whatwas helpful and what was not, and writeyour conclusions on a paper. This role-play can be repeated with other partici-pants playing a problem that was solved,or with an unsolved problem.

4. Summarise the session: the group makesan overview in reaction to the followingquestion: What did we learn aboutproblem solving strategies with regardto problems in relationships with par-ents?

Item 4.2: Trauma in adultsPurpose:• To introducing the concept of trauma,

how it is caused, symptoms of trauma,how to identify traumatized persons andhow to help them.

• To make teachers acquainted with symptomsof trauma, with the process of healing andwith long lasting consequences of trauma

• To stress the normality of traumatic reac-tions

• To present coping and healing resourcesat both the individual and the communi-ty level

• To draw attention to additional factorsawhich can deteriorate the situation of a

person experiencing traumas and lossContent:• Traumatized adults usually suffer from

nightmares, sleeping problems, flashtbacks, low level interest for different

activities, they feel fearful and are toosensitive. If these reactions do not last fora long time, they are considered as nor-mal reactions in abnormal circumstances

• The traumatized family: lack of commu-nication, misunderstanding, secrets, chil-dren taking a parental role, etc.

• The traumatized community• The specific situation of the traumatized

teacher working with traumatized chil-dren and their parents

• Explaining the phenomena of vicarioustrauma

• Resources for coping with traumas inadults; the role of the family, colleagues,religion, broader social networks, socialcontext

• What can be expected from professionalmental health treatment

Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work: Describe cases of people

you know that are traumatized, what aretheir problems and how did you helpthem? What was helpful and what madethings worse? The answers are writtenon a big sheet of paper, mentioning prob-lems, strategies for helping

Item 4.3: Dysfunctional familiesPurpose:• To introduce the characteristics of the

dysfunctional family, the impact on chil-

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dren living in such families and sugges-tions of how to handle and help thesechildren at school

• To raise the awareness of the teachers ofthe protective factors that can be activat-ed or strengthened within the frameworkof the school

• To stimulate the exchange of experienceof how these children can be helped

• To motivate the teachers to act as psy-chosocial helpers

Content: • The characteristics of the functional fam-

ily: children’s needs are recognized andrespected, clear rules, clear communica-tion, flexibility, openness for changesand respecting individuality, the familyhas the energy and strategies for helpingthe child and other family members indistress

• The dysfunctional family has the reversecharacteristics listed above

• Consequences of living in a dysfunctionalfamily for the child: the child feels con-fused, insecure, emotionally deprived orotherwise emotionally harmed, havingsocial, behavioural and learning problems

• Possible causes of family dysfunction:relation problems of the parents, divorce,death of a family member, alcoholism,psychiatric problems of a parent, stress inthe family, war related trauma of parents,family crisis, etc.

• Teachers can help these children: by cre-ating a good psychosocial climate in class(see the chapter on Protective role of theschool); by providing special attentionand special support to the child; by acti-vating protective resources within theframework of the school (activities, rais-ing the child’s self-esteem, increasing hiscoping capacities, etc.); by activating pro-tective resources within a broader envi-ronment (involving volunteers as psy-

chosocial helpers - ‘big brothers’, includ-ing the child in extra scholar activities,etc.) by talking to parents about theneeds of the child and motivating themto accept more appropriate parentalroles; by showing empathy and support-

aing parents; by referring the parents to amental health institution, if necessaryand possible

• Teachers should be aware that even incases when the child’s family situationcan not be changed, positive experiencesand relationships, both in the school andoutside the school, can act as a counter-part to family risk factors and influencethe child’s view of the world and helpprotect the child’s development

Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work with the following instruc-

ations: Describe cases of pupils living in adysfunctional family. How did yourecognise them, what did you do withinthe framework of the class and theschool? What more could be done toactivate protective factors in these chil-

adren’s life? The answers are written on abig sheet of paper mentioning the prob-lems of children living in dysfunctionalfamilies and strategies for helping them.The answers are analysed with regard toproblems related to gender, age andstrategies that are effective in particularsituations. Summarise the session: thegroup makes an overview in reaction tothe following question: What did we

tlearn about pupils living in a difficultfamily situation?

-Item 4.4: Violence and child abuse in fami-lies - the protective role of the schoolPurpose:

f• To sensitise the teachers to the signs ofchild abuse and domestic violence, and tostimulate them to talk about these issues

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• To equip teachers with the knowledgeneeded to recognise signs indicatingchild abuse

• To help teachers react in an appropriateway when there is suspicion of childabuse

• To prevent pitfalls, which could harm thechild, the family and the teacher

• To motivate teachers to protect theabused child

• To discuss what the school can do to pro-tect the abused child

Content:• Definition of child abuse (physical, sexu-

al, psychological) and neglect• Most common causes and dynamics of

child abuse in families• Symptoms (physical, emotional, behav-

ioural, learning difficulties) which raisethe suspicion of child abuse

• What to do in case of suspicion of childabuse, most common mistakes harmingthe child, the family, the teacher, theschool

• How can the school contribute to theprevention of child abuse in family

• How can teachers help the abused childand his parents

MMethods: • Lecture and discussion • Group work on the following instruc-

tions: Describe cases of children who area victim of child abuse. How did you rec-ognize them? What were the causes ofthe abuse? What did you do to help thechild in the frame of the class and theschool? Write your answers on a bigsheet of paper, mentioning, problems,causes, and strategies for helping. Whatmore could be done to introduce protec-tive factors in the life of the child?Summarise the session: the group makesan overview in reaction to the followingquestion: What did we learn about the

problems of the pupil’s victim of childabuse?

l4.5 The impact of poverty - How the schoolfcan counteract and reduce the effects of

povertyPurpose:• To expose the multiple impact of poverty

on the child’s quality of life and develop-ment

f• To raise the understanding of teachers offamily related problems, of poor familiesand limitations of parents to support thechild

• To motivate the teachers and generatenew ideas on how a poor child can besupported within the framework of theschool

Content:f• The impact of poverty on the quality of

life, health, development, education andlearning of children

• Social exclusion and its emotional,behavioural and motivational conse-quences

• Most common difficulties in poor fami-lies affecting the position of the child inschool and school achievement

• What can teachers do to help a sociallydeprived child with learning difficulties

• Activating resources in the frame of theschool and in the broader community forhelping the child

• What can teachers do to help childrencope with poverty

• Developing solidarity among childrenMethods:• Lecture with models of good practice

and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work on the following instruc-

tions: Describe cases of poor pupils, howdid you recognise them? What problemsdo they have? How did you help themand what more could be done? Writeyour answers on a big sheet of paper,

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mentioning problems and strategies forhelping. Summarise the session: thegroup makes an overview in reaction tothe following question: What did welearn about the problems of the impactof poverty in children’s lives?

Item 5.1: Relationships among pupilsPurpose:• To highlight the importance of peer rela-

tions for the child’s wellbeing in theschool, for the quality of life and for psy-chosocial development

• To present most common problems inthe field

• To equip teachers to reduce and solvethese problems

Content:• The impact of the child’s temperament,

the family, the school and broader envi-ronment affecting peer relationships

• Children having problems in peer rela-tionships (the ‘different’ child, the shychild, the immature child, the destructivechild, the aggressive child, the manipula-tive child, the child blaming others, theemotionally distant child, the child lack-ing social skills, the child with many badexperiences in interpersonal relationship,etc.). Harmful consequences of interper-sonal difficulties for the child

• Why adults often do not recognize prob-lems, not being aware of the importanceof bad relationships among peers, under-estimating the problem, the child hidingthe problem

• How the teacher can help a child havingdifficulties in peer relationships (under-standing, raising self confidence and con-fidence in others, mediating peer rela-tionships, teaching social skills, inclusionin special groups, running team activi-ties, creating a pro-social atmosphere inthe classroom and in the school, acting as

role model, discussing peer relationshipwith the class, etc.)

Methods: • Lecture with models of good practice

and discussion, 30 minutesn5.2 Bullying and school violence - how can

the school prevent itPurpose:• To draw the attention of teachers to the

phenomenon of bullying and to helpthem to recognize it

f• To equip teachers with knowledge ofhow to react in case of bullying

• To describe characteristics of a schoolwhich prevents bullying

Content:• Definition of bullying

g• Description of different forms of bullying(physical, verbal, humiliation, exclusion,etc.)

• Signs which can raise suspicion of bully-ing

f• How can parents recognize bullying oftheir child

• Bullies and victims – most commoncharacteristics

f• Emotional and social consequences ofbullying

• How can the teacher stop bullying (inter-ventions with the victim, with bullies,with parents of both, discussing the prob-lem in class, sanctions, etc.)

g• School models for prevention of bullyingMethods:

f• Lecture, 30 minutes, with presentation ofcases by participants and discussion

• Group work with the following instruc-tions: Describe cases of bullying, describ-ing incidents in detail. What did you doto stop the problem? Write your answerson a big sheet of paper, mentioning prob-lems, the characteristics of the victim andthe bully Summarise the session: thegroup makes an overview in reaction to

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the following question: What are meth-ods to prevent bullying in class and inschool?

Item 6.1: Stress in children Purpose:• To give information about stress and

signs of stress• To give information about ways of help-

ing children showing signs of stress• To motivate and help teachers to reduce

or prevent stressful experiences of chil-dren in school

Content:• Definition of stress, process of appraising

events as harmful, threatening or chal-lenging and assessing one’s capacity tohandle and control the situation as defi-cient, (events that are perceived asexceeding one’s coping resources areexperienced as stressful)

• Signs of stress in children: emotional(angry, bored depressive, guilty, power-less, passive, stubborn, low self-esteem);behavioural (behaviour problems, diffi-culties in dealing with self-control, hyper-activity, etc.); social problems (conflictswith peers, adults, in the family, aggres-sion and/or withdrawal, etc.); psychoso-matic reactions (fast heart beat,headaches, stomach aches, sleepingproblems, low appetite or exaggeratedappetite, etc.); learning problems (lack ofenergy and motivation, problems withconcentration, memory problems, etc.)

• Causes of stress: stressful events, stress-ful family situation: economically, rela-tionally and/or emotionally, lack of ade-quate parenting skills, excessivelydemanding parents, school related stress,stress stemming from relationships withpeers, etc.

• School related causes of stress: fear ofschool, fear of a teacher, fear of exams,

gfear of bad marks or marks not meetingthe pupil’s expectations or the expecta-tions of parents, fear of peer conflicts andbullying

• How can the teacher help the childexposed to stressful circumstances in and

toutside the school: 1. try to find outwhat the causes of the stress reactions

gare; 2. show empathy and understandingfor their feelings; 3. try to reduce stress-ful circumstances if possible; 4. try toincrease the child’s capacities of master-ing stressful situation and coping; 5. givethe child the possibility to talk, to expresstheir worries; 6. try to discover with thechild what can help; 7. teach relaxationtechniques and other practical strategiesof mastering stressful situations

Method: • Lecture and discussion, 30 minutesItem 6.2: The traumatized childPurpose:• To inform the teachers about the impact

of traumatic events on children, what arenormal reactions and what are not

• To give information about the role of theteacher in helping these children and giv-ing indications when they should refer toprofessional institutions

a• To give information about establishing agood cooperation between the teacherand parents of traumatized children

Content:• Trauma refers to a sudden and often

unexpected external event that threatensthe integrity or life of a person or othersand to which the person responds withintense fear, helplessness or horror

• Traumatic events can be accidents, vio-lence, fires, sexual abuse, physical abuse,physical assaults, kidnapping, war

fevents, catastrophes, a serious disease ofa loved one, etc. One can be victim orone can be a witness to a traumatic event

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• Possible reactions are: loss of a feeling ofsecurity, intrusive memories, nightmaresand sleeping problems, avoiding situa-tions that refer to the traumatic event,avoiding contact, hyperactivity, concen-tration problems and learning difficul-ties. Psychosomatic problems likeheadaches, stomach aches and bedwet-ting. Aggressive outbursts, nervousness,being easily frightened, feelings ofdepression, aggression guilt, shame, andor revenge

• Each child reacts differently, dependingon: age; nature and duration of the trau-matic event; the occurrence of previoustraumatic events; personal characteristicsof the child like a balanced temperament,good self esteem, good social-emotionalabilities, or lacking these protective char-acteristics; the family situation (the fami-ly capacity to support the child or putadditional burdens on the child, schoolrelated resources (a good personal rela-tion with the teacher, belonging to agroup, having a friend, good academicperformance, a positive social climate inclass, or missing these protective factors),the characteristics of the community(traumatisation of the community as awhole, the context of traumatic eventand loss, the role of religion, the meaningof the traumatic event for the communi-ty, available coping resources in the com-munity, etc.)

• How to help traumatized children: 1. tellthe child that the aforementioned reac-tions are normal; 2. give emotional sup-port; 3. give possibility to express them-selves by talking, playing or by otherexpressive techniques; 4. teach relax-ation techniques; 5. if the child getsintrusive memories, find out what makesthem anxious and explain that theirreaction belongs to the stressful situation

fof the past; 6. teach the child ways ofdealing with the situation, don’t make

athem dependent on others; 7. restore anormal routine in daily life; 8. give thechild new opportunities for social con-tacts and activities

Methods• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work: Describe cases of trauma-

tized children in your class, how did youtrecognize them as traumatized? What

did you do in order to help them, inclass, in school? The answers are writtenon a big sheet of paper: cases, problems,and strategies for helping. What morecould be done? Are important issuesmissing? What did we learn about trau-ma?

d6.3 Losses and grieving in children andfamiliesPurpose:

g• Giving information about the meaningof loss for children

• Describing the mourning process• Discussing war related losses in the

regional context • Equipping teachers with the skills for

helping the child and the parents• Motivating teachers for supportive and

helping attitudes and behaviourContent:• Losses belong to life; life is a continual

process of changes. Sometimes losseshappen that do not belong to the normalpattern of life, like losing a parent, a fam-ily, losing a child, or a friend

• Losses in wartime and war-related situa-tions

• Phases that normally occur in relation tomourning: 1. Shock and denial: one doesnot admit it happened; 2. Self control: Inorder to survive, one admits it happenedbut avoids thinking and feeling in relationto the losses; 3. Experiencing the loss:

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one allows oneself to think about whathappened and to feel, to go through andaccept the pain of the loss - feelings ofdepression, aggression, guilt and shameare normal feelings belonging to theprocess of mourning; 4. Adaptation: toaccept the loss, to learn to enjoy life againand to learn to invest in new relationships

• Factors that influence the mourningprocess related to wartime: circumstancesof death, relation of the child to the lostperson, the way the death of a belovedone is valued by the relatives and by thecommunity, the importance of havinginformation about the death of a belovedone, the possibility to bury the dead per-son, the influence of multiple losses, thebroader concept of losses (loss of home, ofanimals and toys to which the child wasattached, of the teacher and school mates,of the social network, etc.), about memo-ries and anniversaries of tragic events

• Issues about the grieving process in thecommunity, cultural values with respectto loss and grief

• What teachers and parents can do to helpa child who lost a beloved person: 1.Providing a safe environment where com-munication is possible; 2. Being physical-ly present; 3. Letting the child decideabout what she/he wants to talk aboutand letting them talk as much as theywant; 4. Giving emotional support;5. Checking if the child has a goodunderstanding of what happened;6. Helping the child to express his/herfeelings; 7. If the child feels the need, theycan draw their experiences, or write a let-ter; 8. Trying to find out if the child hasTTfeelings of guilt in relation to the situa-tion and what other feelings (anger, anx-iety, etc.) and fantasies the child has; 9.Establish a certain routine in class; 10.Help the child- if necessary- to integrate

among peers; 11. Do not make the childdependant on your help and attention

• Be alert to quiet, withdrawn children aswell as aggressive children

a• The school can make the children play apart in community events, like com-memoration days.

Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work with the following instruc-

tions: Describe a case of a child that lost aparent. What problems came up? Whatdid the teacher do to help the child and thefamily? What did the family do to help thechild? What more could be done? Writeyour answers on a big sheet of paper, men-tioning problems, strategies for helping thechild and the family, ways in which thefamily can help the child. Summarise thesession: the group makes an overview in

treaction to the following question: Whatdid we learn about loss and grief?

Item 6.4: The depressed childPurpose: • To give information about the problemsgg

around depressionContent: • Depression is an emotional state that is

characterised by deep sadness, worrying,feelings of guilt and worthlessness, social

fwithdrawal, sleeping problems, lack ofappetite, agitation or lack of energy

• Causes of depression: loss and grief,abuses, stress, learning problems,depressed parents, etc.

• Teachers can help these children by talk-ing to the child and his parents, trying tofind the negative thoughts and to restruc-ture these negative thoughts by stimulat-ing the child in case of social withdrawal,encouraging children to try new activi-ties

Method: • Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes

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Item 6.5: The child with health problems,the physically handicapped child Purpose:• To raise the awareness of teachers of the

importance of children’s health conditionfor emotions, energy, motivation andlearning capacities

• To present the importance of the teacherand of the school for coping with andovercoming health-related problems.

• To motivate teachers to meet the special(practical, emotional and learning) needsof children with health problems, andphysically disabled children in their class

• To motivate teachers to include healtheducation activities

Content:• Most common health problems among

pupils• Emotional and social consequences of ill-

ness• The influence of illness on children’s

motivation and capacity to learn• The situation of the physically disabled

child in the class• How can the teacher provide special help

(practical, emotional, educational) to thechild with health problems and to thephysically disabled child

• Cooperating with parents• Mobilising resources and solidarity in

the classroom• Mobilising resources in the broader com-

munity• Cooperating with health servicesMMethod:dd• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work on the following instruc-

tions: Describe cases of children withhealth problems. What were the prob-lems? What did you do to help thechild? What resources did you use bothin and outside of school? What washelpful and what was not? Describe

tproblems that not could be solved. Listall your answers on a big sheet, men-tioning problems, and strategies for help.What more could be done to introduceprotective factors into the life of childrenwith health problems? Summarise thesession: the group makes an overview inreaction to the following question: Howcan teachers cooperate with the healthservices?

lItem 6.6: Cooperation between the schooland the health servicesPurpose:

f• To raise the awareness of participants ofthe importance of cooperation of theschool and the medical services onbehalf of pupils with health problemsand for spreading the health education inschools;

• To discuss obstacles and problems incommunication between the two systemsand possibilities of improvement.

Content:• The definition of health according to

WHO (physical, mental, social and eco-nomic situation); underlining the con-nection between physical and mentalhealth.

• The importance of the school for chil-dren’s health in general and especiallyfor children with health problems

• Medical institutions in the region, impor-tant for health care of school children.

• Health protective activities in which thecooperation between the two systems isessential (preventive measures, medical

feducation, systematic health checks ofstudents, etc.).

• The cooperation between teachers andhealth workers in case of children withhealth problems: examples of problemsand of good practice.

Method: • Two short lectures, one by a speaker

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from the medical profession and one by aspeaker from the educational profession.

Item 6.7: The hyperactive childPurpose:• To introduce the phenomenon of hyper-

activity, its causes and consequences• To prevent inappropriate attitudes and

reactions of teachers towards the hyper-active child

• To equip teachers with some practicalskills how to handle the hyperactivechild in class

Content:• Description of the phenomena and caus-

es (biological, developmental and emo-tional)

• The connection between hyperactivebehaviour, attention problems and spe-cific learning disorders

• Emotional, relational and behaviouralproblems linked to hyperactive behav-iour

• Handling the hyperactive child in class1. Let the child sit in your proximity 2.Help the child to structure all sorts ofsituations; 3. Let them repeat a task ormake a schedule 5. Give them one taskat a time; 6. Break the work up intosmaller parts and check their workmore often; 7. Give opportunities forpermitted moving: ask to clean a table,bring the chalk etc.; 8. Teach them howto check their own work, make a list ofthings to check; 9. Give them 20 min-utes work and the possibility for ashort walk; 10. Give them oral exami-nations in case of writing problems; 11.Help to find friends and how to keepfriendships; 13. Teach them to thinkfirst and then do things; 14. Stress thechild’s positive qualities and achieve-ments; 15. Adjust the expectations andrequirements to the childs’ good andbad days; 16. In case you lose your

temper: apologize and explain why ithappened.

• Cooperating with parents (explaining thenature of the problem to parents, coun-selling parents, supporting parents, etc.)

• Activating external resources (forinstance including the child in sportsactivities, referral to mental health serv-ices if available, etc.)

Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work: Role-play. One of the

fteachers is asked to describe the case ofa hyperactive child. He or another par-ticipant is asked to play the role of thehyperactive child. Somebody else plays

fthe teacher. The other participants ofthe group play the other pupils in class.The teacher has to teach arithmetic oranother subject to his pupils while thehyperactive child is disturbing the les-son with his hyperactive behaviour.The teacher is asked to show how heshould deal with the situation.After the role-play, the feelings of theparticipants while playing their role arediscussed as a teacher, as the hyperac-tive pupil, as one of the other pupils?Did the teacher satisfactorily handlethe problem? The role-play can berepeated with different participantsplaying the teachers, in order toexplore the impact of different strate-gies

Item 6.8: The aggressive childPurpose:• To give information about the character-

istics of aggressive behaviour and causesof this behaviour

f• To raise the awareness of the teachers ofthe needs and fears of the aggressivechild

• To give a general approach on how tohandle these children

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Content:• Characteristics of mildly aggressive

behaviour: often quick-tempered, oppos-ing orders from others, not doing what isasked, not taking and accepting responsi-bility for their own behaviour, quicklyangry, vengeful, fretful. This is all nor-mal behaviour but when it causes prob-lems or does not fit the age of the childwe call it problematic behaviour

• Characteristics of serious aggressivebehaviour: delinquency: fighting, intimi-dating, continuous lying, hurting othersdirectly, but also indirectly by gossipingand causing trouble

• Causes: 1. Biological factors in the childlike a difficult temperament; 2.Familyfactors: inadequate parental methods likeneglect, not setting limits, physical abuse,tensions and stress in the family, psychi-atric problems of a parent. These factorsharm the psychosocial development ofthe child, making him/her feel insecure.This goes together with a low level offrustration tolerance causing immediateaggressive responses. 3. Imitation ofaggressive role models that contribute tothe use of aggressive behaviour. 4.Children can use aggressive behaviouras a way of drawing attention, a way toget what they want.

• How teachers can help: 1. Teachers canhelp these aggressive pupils by realizingthere are hidden needs behind the oppos-ing and/or aggressive reactions. Theycan talk to the child, show disapproval ofthe behaviour but ask for the real needand reflect on possible solutions. 2.Teachers can help children to controltheir aggression through setting clearlimits, asking for pleasant behaviour inclass and by reinforcing good behaviour.In case children do not accept rules:make them responsible for their own

behaviour. Do not accept excuses. 3. Incase of many social problems, theteacher can talk to the child and reflect

twith them on what went wrong, whatthey really need (e.g. a friend). He/shecan teach the child to take into consider-ation the perspective of the other person,and reflect on alternate better solutionsregarding the problem. 4. Teachers cantalk to the parents, explain the problemsand seek their cooperation. 5. If neces-sary and possible, refer to the schoolworker or a mental health clinic.

Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work on the following instruc-

tions: Describe cases of aggressive chil-dren in your class. What sort of aggres-sion did they use? Why did they use it?What did you do to deal with this prob-lem with regard to the aggressive pupiland the victim? What was helpful and

gwhat was not? List your answers on a bigsheet of paper. Summarise the session:the group makes an overview in reactionto the following question: What did welearn about aggression in schools?

lItem 6.9: Learning difficulties and schoolfailurePurpose:• To sensitise the teachers to emotional,

psychosocial, motivational and otherconsequences of learning difficulties andschool failure in children

• To enable the teachers to understand dif-ferent interactive causes of learning diffi-culties

• To present possibilities of helping chil-dren with school or external resources

• To motivate teachers to help the childfand cooperate with parents in cases of

learning problemsContent: • Main causes of learning difficulties and

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their interactions: intellectual disabilities,specific learning disabilities and concen-tration problems, health problems affect-ing learning capacities (vision and hearingproblems, brain damage, problems linkedto some medication, etc.), emotional prob-lems (including traumatic reactions), lackof motivation, lack of stimulation andlearning opportunities in the family, etc.

• Specific learning difficulties (this subjectshould be elaborated because manyteachers are not familiar with the phe-nomena and can not understand partialdeficiencies in learning): writing andreading difficulties, difficulties in mathe-matics, concentration problems etc.

• The emotional, psychosocial, behaviour-al, motivational, social and other conse-quences of learning difficulties andschool failure in children

• How the teachers and the school canhelp the child with learning difficultiesand prevent school failure: understand-ing, support, motivation, adapted teach-ing approaches, requirements adapted tochild’s learning capacities, giving oppor-tunities for developing self-esteem, etc.

• Cooperating with parents• Mobilising external resources: peer assis-

tance, volunteers, etc. Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work with the following instruc-

tions: Describe cases of children withlearning problems. What type of learningproblems did they have? What did youdo to assist these children? What washelpful and what was not? Write youranswers on a big sheet of paper: men-tioning problems and strategies for help-ing these children. Are there problemswith these children that not could besolved? What more resources could beactivated in order to help these children?

eItem 7.1: The situation of the school and thensituation and role of teachers in our region

todayPurpose:• To analyse the situation of the school in

the context of the present social andpolitical situation in the region, and in

fthe historical and cultural perspective ofthe covered region

• To analyse the situation of the teacher inthe present circumstances: war relatedtraumas and loss, post conflict socialadversities, huge numbers of childrenaffected by war, by poverty and by fami-ly adversities, etc.

f• To raise the awareness of teachers oftheir multiple roles in the lives of chil-dren living in deprived and adversecircumstances and the moral and pro-tective value of taking over differentroles

Content:• Presentation of the situation of the school

within a recent local social context• Multiple roles of teachers, especially in

rural environments: educator, socialworker, psychosocial helper of the childand of parents, health educator, and

fsometimes partly taking over the role ofthe missing parent

• Special focus on supportive and protec-tive influences from which teachers gainpower and coping capacities

• In post-war circumstances the teacher isexpected to make an extra effort to coun-teract the negative experiences of warand post-war circumstances by support-ing children and parents

• In order to fulfil these complex tasks,teachers themselves need support. Thissupport can be offered through recog-nition, mutual support among thegroup of teachers in the school; psy-chosocial seminars, and other adequate

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learning opportunities are all impor-tant tools for empowering teachers

MMethod: Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes

Item 7.2: The impact of the teacher’s profes-sion on his family lifePurpose:• To highlight the interaction between job

and family life of teachers.• To give opportunities to the teachers for

reflection on family burdens and prob-lems, stemming from their job.

• To give opportunities to teachers forreflection on the supporting role of thefamily.

• To discuss approaches for overcomingidentified problems

Content: • Most common problems affecting the

family life of teachers (bringing workhome, being a public person and a pub-lic family, not earning enough money toassure an economically secure life, nothaving opportunities to marry forwomen teachers, working in distant vil-lages, etc.).

• Having your own child as pupil in theschool in which the teacher is working

• Other problems experienced by the par-ticipants

• Identifying resources stemming from thefamily

MMethods:• A short introductory lecture, 15 – 20

minutes, which should preferably be pre-sented by a teacher and not by the train-ers from other professions, followed bydiscussion.

Item 7.3: Burdens and stresses linked to theteachers’ professionPurpose:• To inform the teachers about the factors

and circumstances that can cause stressin regard to their job

• To sensitise them to signals that indicateoverburdening

• To identify protective resourcesContent:• Specific burdens linked to the profession:

working with huge number of differentchildren (in maturity, temperament,motivation, intellectual capacities, etc.),that are expected to behave in the sameway and to achieve similar results inacquiring knowledge; great responsibili-ty in relation to children, parents andsociety; frequently unrealistic and exag-gerated expectations and requirementsof the school system/curriculum regard-ing the knowledge, which children

fshould master; permanent giving ofattention, energy and motivation to chil-dren; work that is never completed –impossible for all the pupils to master allthe knowledge, all the problems in the

gclassroom are never solved; practicingthe profession always in public andbeing a public person, even outside theclassroom; lack of recognition from theauthorities, etc.

• Context and situation related burdens:experiencing personal traumatic eventsand loss in times of armed conflicts;working with children and parents, whoexperienced traumatic events and loss;

ftaking over an increasing number ofaroles in relation to pupils besides being afteacher and educator, such as the role of

psychosocial helper, social worker,health worker, proponent for children’srights; bad social and economic positionof the teacher, etc.

Methods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• Group work with the following ques-

tions: In what situations are youstressed? How do you notice that youare stressed? What are the causes and

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what do you do to help yourself(strategies for the moment and strate-gies for the future)? Write all youranswers on a big sheet of paper. Whatstrategies are helpful and what wasnot? What can you do to prevent stressin your life? Summarise the session:the group makes an overview in reac-tion to the following question: Whatdid we learn about stress in our ownlives?

Item 7.4: Burnout: coping and preventionPurpose: • To inform the teachers about the phe-

nomenon and process of burn out • To enable them to recognise threats and

their own symptoms • To enable them to react quickly and in

an appropriate way in order to preventburn out process

• To exchanging useful models of activa-tion of resources and individual copingstrategies

• To empower the teachers for helping col-leagues in need.

Content:• Definition: Burnout is defined in many

ways: To exhaust one’s physical andmental resources. To wear oneself out byexcessively striving to reach some unre-alistic expectation imposed by oneself orby the values of society. 2. Burnout is aprocess that begins with excessive andprolonged levels of job stress. The stressproduces strain in the worker (feelings oftension, irritability and fatigue)

• Causes of burn out: non-war relatedcauses (external causes, internal causesas too high expectations of one self, etc.);specific causes in areas affected by armedconflicts (teachers experience themselvestraumatic events and losses; they workwith a huge numbers of children emo-tionally harmed by armed conflicts and

with their parents; the post conflict situa-tion is full of social adversities, etc.)

• Symptoms: low job performance/littlejob satisfaction, physical exhaustion/-fatigue, irritability, anxiety, rigidity tochange, loss of flexibility, decreasedcommunication/withdrawal, physicalsymptoms, apathy/loss of concern,cynicism, emotional exhaustion andreduction of empathy and positive inter-actions with pupils and parents, interper-sonal conflicts at job and family conflicts

• Ways of preventing and coping: makeayour job more satisfying by creating a

good psychosocial climate in class andusing good pedagogic and didactic meth-ods; maintain an active personal, socialand religious life outside work; taketime-outs when you need them, maintaina regimen of proper nutrition and physi-cal exercise; take yourself seriously andset realistic goals; recognize the symp-toms of stress and burnout; ask for helpand be open when it is needed; developa personal support system; develop self-help strategies as relaxation, leisure timeactivities; accentuate the positive; be will-ing to accept counselling when needed

Method: Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes

Item 8.1: The school and the communityPurpose: To explain the importance of the coop-eration of the school with the community andwith civil society, NGOs, services and localauthorities, and motivating school workers todevelop such cooperation and to mobilize

fresources in the community for the benefit ofthe school and of individual children in needContent:• The school can mobilize community

resources (help of parents, religiousorganizations, volunteers, local business-men, etc.)

g• Parents are an important vector linking

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the school with the community; individ-ual parents have social influence in thecommunity and can contribute to thewellbeing of the school; another vectorare parents’ councils

• Of special importance is the cooperationwith health services, social services andother institutions, dealing with childrenand families

• Connecting with local NGOs and inter-national NGOs can be a good way ofactivating various resources for helpingchildren in need, improving the situationof the school and including the school invarious educational programs for schoolworkers

• In situations of poverty, financial andmaterial resources can be raised for help-ing the most deprived children and tosupport the school (activities, facilities,school equipment, etc.)

• The importance of the transparency ofthe work and activities of the school inpublic (public events, links with media,etc.)

• The school, which shows its involve-ment in reducing problems in the com-munity (for instance; by organizingpupils volunteers who help elderly peo-ple, or by organizing some joyful eventfor the community at large) will bemore supported by the communityitself

MMethods: Lecture with examples and discus-sion, 30 minutes• Group work on the following: Describe

an example of good cooperation with amember of the community. Write allyour answers on a big sheet of papermentioning the situation in which thecooperation took place, the problemsthat were addressed and the strategiesthat were used.

• Role-play: Play what happens when a

delegation of a school (the principal anda teacher) visit a wealthy person in thecommunity persuading him to givemoney or materials for the school. Afterthe role-play, discuss how all actors feltduring the role-play and the observationsof the other participants. What strategiesin the communication were effective andwhich ones were not? Repeat the role-play, with other participants of the grouptaking the role of the teacher and princi-pal. Then discuss the same questionsonce more.

Item 8.2: Voluntary work in schools Purpose:• To explain the concept of organised vol-

untary work, its links with past and pres-ent solidarity networks in the regioncovered by the program, raising aware-ness of the multiple values of voluntarywork

• To motivate the participants to developvoluntary work in their schools

• To give information about the organisa-tion of voluntary work

Content:• The concept of organised voluntary

gwork and its integration in the existingconcepts and practice of solidarity in theregion

• A description of some voluntary activi-ties organised by children and youth

• How to apply voluntary work in schools• How to identify needs for voluntary

work • How to prepare a project• How to obtain financial and other

resources• How to introduce voluntary work in

schools• How to recruit, to motivate and prepare

volunteers for their activities• How to introduce volunteers to the par-

ents of the helped children

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• The role of mentors: monitoring andsupervision

• Giving acknowledgement to volunteers• How can volunteers help their “benefici-

aries” (children, elderly persons, dis-abled persons, etc.)?

• The benefits of volunteering for volun-teers, for the school and for the commu-nity

• Voluntary work as a tool of civic educa-tion for participative citizenship

• Most common problems • Promoting voluntary work in public MMethods:• Lecture and discussion, 30 minutes• If possible, presentation of young volun-

teers’ activities by young volunteers (thisis usually the most encouraging andmotivating component)

• Group work with the following ques-tions: What are the needs and possibili-ties for developing voluntary work ofchildren and youth in the frame of theschool? How can volunteers be intro-duced as helpers for children with psy-chosocial and learning problems?Which small steps have to be taken torealise such a project? Role-play: playthe following situations. 1.Two teacherstry to convince the director of theschool to permit the development ofvoluntary work in the school. 2.Twoteachers present the aims and activitiesof volunteers and the recruitmentprocess of volunteers to fellow teachersin their schools. 3. Two teachers explainto parents the aim of the volunteer proj-ect, and describe how it is meant towork. They also ask parents for permis-sion and support for the work of thevolunteer. Afterwards, the feelings ofthe actors and the observations of theother participants are discussed.Conclusions are formulated on what

strategies were effective and which oneswere not.

Item 8.3: Children’s rightsPurpose: • To inform the participants of the

Convention of Children’s Rights • To sensitise them to the issue of chil-

dren’s rights and their violation • To motivate them to spread the concepts

of children’s rights among parents, othercaretakers, and among children

Content:• Childhood is the period between 0-18

yearst• The protection of children in the present

situation of the region covered by theprogram

• Presentation of the Convention on theRights of the child, focusing on thoseaspects in which the school has animportant role

• How can the school violate children’srights?

• How can the school and teachers protectchildren’s rights, when those are threat-ened or violated outside the school

• How to spread the awareness of chil-dren’s rights among school workers, par-ents, other caretakers and children them-selves

• Examples of good practiceMethod:

f• Lectures and discussion, 30 minutes. Ifavailable, distribute the document of theConvention on the Rights of the Child,translated into the local language

-Item 9.1: Evaluation of the previous semi-narPurpose: • To give the participants an opportunity

to express their satisfaction or dissatisfac-tion and criticisms, needs and wishes forthe continuation of the program (for

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instance concerning topics, organization-al issues)

• To give feedback to the trainers• To give the trainers the possibility to

adapt the programContent: The answers of the participants tothe following questions: Of all the thingsyou learned in the previous seminar, whatdid you use or try to use? Which problemsdid you encounter?MMethod: Small group discussions with production of posters, which are presentedin a plenary meetingItem 9.2: EvaluationPurpose:• To give the participants an opportunity

to express their satisfactions, gains, dis-satisfactions and criticisms, their needsand wishes for the continuation of theprogram (for instance concerning topics,organizational issues)

• To give feedback to local trainers, inter-national experts, organizers and donors

• To modify the program according to theexpressed opinions and proposals of par-ticipants

• To prepare reports on the programContent: The contents of the evaluationdepend upon the environments in whichthe programs are run. If teachers are usedto evaluation processes, more sophisticatedmethods and contents can be used. Basiccontents of evaluation are:

• The satisfaction with the program ingeneral, with special sections or presen-tations, with various methods of work,etc.

• Measuring the increase in knowledgeand know-how in different fields

• Applicability of acquired knowledge andknow-how in professional work of teach-ers and their private coping capacities

• Observed changes in understanding,insights, attitudes

• What was implemented from the pro-gram in everyday activities

• The impact of the program on personallife (mood, habits, relationship, familylife)

• Gathering proposals for changes of theprogram

• Gathering critical remarks and dissatis-factions

• Identifying new needsMethods:• The participants are asks to fill in a ques-

tionnaire• Small group discussions with produc-

tion of posters, which are presented inplenary. The following topics can be

tdiscussed: What did we learn and whatdid we use in our daily work, what didwe implement? What were our experi-ences, difficulties in applying what welearned? Lessons learned? What do weneed?

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25 49 Seminar - app.mhpss.net Title: 25_49_Seminar Author: MacTMC 09 Created Date: 10/5/2005 3:14:41 PM