2. Basic Needs in the work context

These days, teachers are exposed to a great deal of tension between legal requirements and the expectations of parents and pupils on the one hand, and the general conditions at school on the other. It is certainly no coincidence that the burnout rate among teachers is particularly high. In German-speaking countries, it is around 30 per cent. These figures are a sure indicator that the school workplace does not necessarily promote personal needs and personal growth.

Just as there is no such thing as the norm student, there is no such thing as the norm teacher. If you have studied the theory of the False Self in Module 1, you see the danger of overhearing one's own needs: one not only suppresses one's own aliveness, but additionally endangers one's mental and physical health. Furthermore, one also begins to reject others when they express their feelings and needs. This manifests itself in sarcasm, devaluation of others and suppressed aggression. So, to make the school habitat more humane, we need to respect our own basic needs and those of others.

Figure 1: Teachers´ conference, Photo licensed by Microsoft creative commons