58% of surveyed schoolchildren named the ability to provide support in a difficult moment as the main quality of a teacher. At the same time, educators face heavy workloads, bureaucracy, and low salaries, which depletes their internal resources. This was stated by educational ombudsman Nadiia Leshchyk, as reported by UNN.
Details
According to her, within a separate special study for the fifth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, an online survey of 1067 Ukrainian students aged 15-17 was conducted, along with 16 focus groups: 8 with parents and 8 with middle and high school teachers.
Among the common observations of parents and educators that emerged during the focus groups, the level of teachers' salaries remains low and does not correspond to the volume of their duties and workload.
Ukrainian teachers also pointed out during the focus groups:
- heavy workload, particularly due to the amount of paperwork and reporting, which leads to overwork outside working hours and heavily bureaucratizes the teacher's work;
- increased workload due to the mixed format of education: lessons need to be adapted to different conditions, and in some cases, classes even have to be held in shelters;
- the growing emotional burden on educators during wartime, as children need more support, motivation, emotional calm, and confidence from teachers.
The results of the online survey also show that 37% of surveyed Ukrainian students consider a teacher who supports and respects students to be an ideal. And "58% of schoolchildren indicated that during wartime, the main quality of a teacher is the ability to provide support in a difficult moment."
But to support students, an educator must have a reserve of internal resources and develop psychological resilience. However, this can be difficult in conditions of overload, energy depletion, and insufficient support. I continue to advocate for reducing the workload on pedagogical staff and upholding teachers' academic freedom.