We would like to invite you to participate in our project Teacher-ProGRESS. The main goal of the project is to develop a support package for teachers to reduce social-emotional stress in their daily work.
Our problem diagnosis
Numerous studies confirm: Being a teacher is one of the most emotionally demanding professions. Depending on the definition used, around 10-20% of all students in Germany are considered to have emotional and behavioral difficulties. A class of 20 students thus has an average of 2 to 4 students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. Hence, it is not surprising that the teaching profession is affected by particularly high burnout and career termination rates.
Our solution approach
We are convinced that a decisive improvement of the professional conditions for teachers will be successful if the third phase of teacher education (the in-service teacher professional development phase) is expanded comprehensively and with high quality. Teacher-ProGRESS is intended to make a decisive contribution to this. Drawing on years of practical and research-based experience, we work with the following premises:
Regressive group dynamics are a major cause of difficult student behavior ⇨ Training programs must focus on improving group dynamics.
The development and dynamics of groups cannot be learned theoretically, they have to be experienced practically in an emotionally safe group context in the here and now.
By asking students the right questions, their feedback can be instrumental in better understanding group dynamics in classrooms.
Teachers’ stress is most effectively reduced when professional development training is linked to reliable feedback from students and this feedback is explicitly addressed.
How can you get involved with Teacher-ProGRESS?
The first step of the project is to evaluate the reliability of the newly developed Teacher-ProGRESS feedback instruments. This will require two student surveys in a class of your choice, approximately half a year apart. The first survey will take place in the fall of 2022 and will last approximately half a class period, the second in the spring of 2023 will last approximately 15 minutes.
How do you benefit?
All participating teachers will receive the results of their survey including an initial interpretation guide. In addition, you will have the opportunity to participate in one of the first Teacher-ProGRESS training groups, where the results can be introduced and discussed.
If you would like to be involved in the development of the Teacher-ProGRESS project (as an individual, as a group, or as a school), please enter your contact information here:
All information will be treated confidentially and stored in encrypted form. In addition, you can revoke your voluntary, free and non-binding participation at any time.
We are very pleased about your interest and look forward to a productive and exciting cooperation!
With warm regards
Your Teacher-ProGRESS-Team