A focus group with primary school teachers from the town of Hlukhiv was held at Oleksandr Dovzhenko Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University within the framework of the international Erasmus+ project “BONDS – “BONDS – sustainable skills Building tOwards preveNtion and management of Delinquent behaviors at Schools”.
The session began with a brief presentation of the BONDS project by the project team. Teachers were introduced to the project’s objectives, its European and national context, as well as the role of focus groups in developing practical, research-based tools to support educators.
The next step involved completing a teachers’ professional self-efficacy scale, which enabled participants to reflect on their confidence in working with challenging behaviour, student motivation, emotional regulation, and classroom management.
The main part of the focus group was dedicated to discussing key issues, including:
- how teachers understand and identify problematic student behaviour;
- the behavioural challenges they most frequently encounter;
- which behaviour management strategies are effective and which are not;
- how social and emotional learning is integrated into the educational process;
- how cultural sensitivity and inclusion influence the classroom climate;
- what types of support and training teachers need to work effectively;
- and what expectations teachers have of the BONDS project.
The lively discussion, frank responses, practical examples from real classroom experience, and active interaction among participants confirmed that teachers’ voices are essential in developing tools that truly work in modern primary schools.
We sincerely thank the teachers for their engagement, professionalism, and willingness to share their experiences. Special thanks go to the Education Department of the Hlukhiv City Council and school administrators for their support and cooperation. It is through such meetings that the BONDS project lays the foundation for creating a supportive, safe, and inclusive school environment.
“BONDS is not about perfect children. It is about a school that knows how to support.”
Next steps include the analysis of the collected data and continued collaboration.
