Teachers suffering: a psychoanalytical look at opportunities for teachers to come together

• Grant number: 11/12072-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): November 16, 2011
• Effective date (End): February 13, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Archangelo
• Grantee: Ana Archangelo
• Host Investigator: Franco Borgogno
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Educação (FE). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO), Italy

Abstract

Just like any other social and historical institutions, schools are spaces of tension. Among the sources of tension can be: children with serious school-related difficulties, unable to reap any positive benefits from the school environment; excessive bureaucratic demands; and loss of authority and the power to make the necessary decisions. Although teachers readily identify these situations, they generally feel themselves incapable of understanding the various dynamic processes that produce and explain tension in schools. In any event, the teachers find themselves in situations of suffering. This study sets out to investigate, from a psychoanalytical standpoint, not only that suffering and the psychic dynamics involved per se, but also how much teachers might benefit from a 'psychic environment' (Borgogno, 2004) in the form of periodic meeting between teachers and researcher. Data has already been gathered in previous empirical research carried out in schools considered to be located in areas of intense social exclusion. It is hoped that, on completion of the post-doctoral studies, a full paper will be produced, reporting the set of questions raised, presenting a synthesis of the cases followed up on and offering a reflection on the central theme. (AU)