Teachers suffer from bullying in the college

Many teachers suffer from bullying by their colleagues. Teachers are often under a lot of psychological pressure, as they constantly have to endure confrontations with their students and their parents, is well known. However, a recent study by the University of Koblenz-Landau shows that even among teachers hostility, verbal attacks, the exclusion from the college and even physical aggression are quite common.

19/11/2012

Studies show that teachers are much more likely to be struggling with mental health problems such as burnout syndrome than the average of the population due to stress in their job. Not only rebellious students, but also the repeated conflicts with the parents often cause the teachers a lot of work. On top of that, however, many seem to find bullying within the college. Thus, almost a fifth of teachers feel harassed and harassed by colleagues. „Teachers are bullied by pupils, parents and colleagues“, explained the University of Koblenz-Landau in the middle of the year at the beginning of the current survey.

Bullying in the form of verbal attacks and physical aggression
The scientists around Professor Reinhold Jäger from the Center for Empirical Educational Research (ZEPF) at the University of Koblenz-Landau asked more than 1,800 teachers about bullying as part of their research. It showed that the perpetrators are not always in the classrooms, but often in the staff room. In addition, the bullying is often continued after school shot on the Internet. Overall, according to the researchers, 17.4 percent of teachers felt bullied. In particular verbal attacks, exclusion from the college and physical aggression made the teachers concerned suffer.

The bigger the school, the higher the bullying risk
The online survey among teachers also revealed significant differences in bullying, depending on the type of school and the size of the schools. Accordingly, the risk of bullying tends to increase with the size of the school, and in the primary level, direct bullying is 28 percent more common than in lower and upper secondary education. In addition, teachers who have been practicing the profession for years feel much more bullied than young teachers , For those affected, bullying is a significant psychological burden and they do not always manage to keep their nerves. Possible responses described in the online survey include crying, screaming, insults, insults, the threat of beatings, and physical aggression. However, many are stunned by their colleagues' bullying and do not know what to do.

Thematize bullying in teacher training
The problem of bullying, according to the project leader Prof. Dr. med. Reinhold Jäger is already being addressed as part of the teacher training program or the training of teachers, in order to prepare the expectant teachers for the special challenges of their profession. Because „Only healthy and well-educated teachers will be able to teach their students what is important in terms of their professional, social, methodological and personality development“, Prof. Jäger explained at the start of the study in June 2012.

Avoid bullying in schools
However, many teachers are self-perpetrators of internal bullying in the college and not victims. In the opinion of the experts, "targeted training and seminars are a possible approach to countering bullying and helping victims". A special responsibility is borne by the school management, which should also provide for an appropriate approach among the teachers. The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health declares regarding the nutrient base on the bullying arises: „Where little attention is given to human resource development, where work is poorly organized, where the working and working environment is poor, bullying can flourish well.“ The starting points for avoiding bullying among the teachers are therefore clear, even if the teachers can not be protected from the attacks and hostility of the students and parents. This generally requires more respect in society before the teaching profession. After all, the teachers take over a large part of our children's education and are supposed to give them the best possible start to the future. (Fp)

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Image: Gerd Altmann, Pixelio.de