Kun perusopetuksen oppilaat oireilevat psyykkisesti : opettajien kokemuksia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine and interpret teachers’ experiences of pupils with emotional and behavioural disordres in comprehensive schools in Finland. The term ‘pupils with emotional and behavioural disorders’ refers here to children who either cannot or do not want to act according to the general expectations in a school climate. Children live in several social settings that affect their development, of which the most important ones are home and the school. It is known that positive teacher-pupil interaction has an advantageous effect on student adaptation, performance and behavior. However, behavior-related problematics affect the forming of interactive relationships. Educational, institutional and medicalisation contexts were chosen as the framework for describing teacher's work when there are pupils with emotional and behavioural disorders. The data consists of questionnaires answered by teachers, as well as the informants’ writings and interviews with them. These data collection methods and inductive content analysis were used to gain a profound understanding of the phenomenon, supported by a hermeneutic phenomenological background philosophy. The teacher experiences indicate that internalized emotional disorders either go unnoticed or are far fewer than externalized emotional and behavioural disorders. The informants find it difficult to intervene in disruptive behaviour and confront the pupils. They do not trust themselves to be knowledgeable enough to handle these cases, and feel that their pupils’ disorders have a negative effect on their ability to cope with their workload. Furthermore, they note that meetings of multiple professionals of different fields do not seem to help solve situations and that it is difficult to find the party responsible for advancing the pupil’s case. The informants reflect on pupils’ capability of attending school. There were surprisingly few mentions of bullying. The teachers mostly receive support from principals and pupils’ guardians, whereas co-operation with colleagues is scarce, even though the informants acknowledge a need for peer support. They mention the need of professional guidance. There is a need for advanced training for teachers, as well as for lessening their perceived workload and increasing pedagogical peer support among teachers. Collaboration between different subdivisions of municipal government needs to be strengthened and questions of responsibility clarified. The issue must also be taken more into account in teacher training.