In Portugal 76.4% of the teachers at the service report emotional exhaustion and 57% feel high job stress (Varela et al., 2018). At schools, we diagnosed the lack of efficient and meaningful collaborative contexts, trainings and methodologies through which teachers and other educational agentes may tackle nowadays' challenges and solve complex problems at school. We decided to research and act.
We are tackling the problem of low collaboration between teachers to solve complex problems at school. Therefore, we are working on two causes: the reduced participation of teachers in school decision-making and the lack of spaces, contexts and collaborative methodologie; and environments of demotivation, low trust, malaise and superficial relationships.
We created Ground_up, a collaborative problem solving training program with teachers and other educational agents. Through problem-solving methodologies, educational leaders create and implement solutions to challenges they recognize at school. They develop collective intelligence and meaningful relationships. We are also developing a social network for teachers where they may transform education through collaborative processes, games and partners' support. Teachers learn, reach high levels of collaboration and collective effectiveness. They become prepared to effectively empower children on solving complex problems together.
Main achievements: Ground_up program has already 5 editions in Portugal. We worked with 59 teachers and school board members. They co-created 11 collaboration strategies and 14 solutions.
Ground_up eLearning was successfully launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and is available on the School-by-School eLearning version.
Future Goals: To train international teams of Ground_up trainers and to develop Ground_up social platform with the support of an investor on Education.
We are opened to work with motivated and committed teams of educational leaders and other educational professionals. We are also trying to identify an investor passionate about Education. Get in touch with us: education@tobedo.pt
