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Description
The project aims to strengthen primary school teachers'' competencies to support children with challenging behaviour through training of teacher educators in effective and evidence-based methods to support children with serious behavioural problems. The project will be implemented by the Czech Society for Inclusive Education in cooperation with the Ostbytunet Center for Treatment and Professional Development in child psychiatry. The project is based on the current situation in Czech schools, where the number of pupils with behavioural problems in the school environment is increasing dramatically (4 times in the past 10 years). According to the findings of the Czech School Inspectorate, disciplinary punishments are most often used in response to problematic behaviour in schools, teachers do not know how to handle difficult situations with pupils. However, the representative survey has shown that teachers are very interested in teacher training in this area. The output of the project will be a new course for teachers aimed at supporting pupils with behavioral problems and trained teacher educators who will pilot the course within the project and then will continue to teach this course in further education of teachers as well as at faculties of education. There will be 6 participating teacher trainers who will be trained in new methods and will be involved in the creation of a new course and its adaptation for the Czech elementary school teachers. Other supported participants will be teachers and students of faculties of education who will participate in pilot courses (60) and participants of seminars lectured by Norwegian experts from the partner organization (60). In the long term, the project should contribute to the inclusion of pupils with behavioural problems in mainstream schools and the prevention of their placement in special schools or institutional facilities.
Summary of project results
The project between Czech Expert Society for Inclusive Education and NorwegianØstbytunet Center aimed at the development of skills of professionals in education (teachers, special educators, school psychologists, assistant teachers etc.) in support of children with challenging behaviour at schools.
The project introduced effective evidence-based approach to support children with challenging behaviour as a reaction to traumatic experience and lack of skills of teachers to meet the needs of vulnerable children at school environment. Based on the data, the need of effective behaviour management at schools was significant even before the Covid 19 pandemics outbreak and terror in Ukraine. Those two collective traumatic experiences made the need of its implementation even more urgent. Thanks to the cooperation of the Czech School Inspectorate, the outputs were disseminated to all schools in the Czech Republic.
The curriculum of the training is focused on these major topics: A. Impact of traumatic stress on child’s development and brain functioning B. Effective approaches to the regulation of children’s stress response system C. Effective approaches to de-escalation of challenging behaviour D. Effective approaches to prevention of challenging behaviour The knowledge provided in training is universal and supports all children in education. The application of the trauma-informed approach reduces the incidence of challenging behaviour and increases the students’ achievement.
Summary of bilateral results
Representatives of the partner organisation have provided crucial contribution to the project’s implementation. The expertise they shared was unique also thanks to their long-term practical experience in application of the methods used in Neurosequential Model of Education. All involved experts from Østbytunet Center were very devoted to the project and exceeded expectations in terms of supporting the trainees and ČOSIV expert team with relevant materials and creating the curriculum. They were very flexible and supportive regarding the adjustments needed due to COVID- 19 situation. They have invested more time than planned in transnational teaching activities in online environment. Partners have provided all materials and training sessions in a timely manner and at a very high professional standard. The partnership has resulted into long-term cooperation.