11 General Introduction not only pose challenges for pupils themselves but also present significant hurdles for teachers in effectively addressing their diverse needs and providing appropriate support, which is also confirmed by the Algemene Onderwijsbond (2020). I have personally witnessed the impact the above mentioned developments had on the well-being of teachers in primary education, confirmed by a notable increase in teacher absenteeism (Statistics Netherlands, 2022). This has led me to ponder: ‘How can we take care of pupils while also ensuring the welfare of our teachers?’. Acknowledging that I cannot transform the education system, I have sought insights from scientific research that could initially contribute to reducing stress and enhancing teacher well-being in primary education which might indirectly also improve the caretaking of pupils. In my view, effective education begins with teachers who feel comfortable and possess the necessary skills to navigate the daily demands of teaching in a healthy manner. I came across promising research on mindfulness-based interventions in schools, primarily from the US and the UK (Abenavoli et al, 2013; Jennings et al., 2011; Roeser et al., 2012). These interventions generally target pupils or a mixed teacher population across primary, secondary, and higher education. Surprisingly, there has not yet been any research in this domain in the Netherlands. Therefore, I sought training in MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction (MBSR), and earned my certification as an MBSR and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy mindfulness-teacher at the Radboud University Medical Center. This positively impacted both my professional and personal life and prompted me to explore the potential for implementing a standard MBSR intervention for education professionals. The board of the Rotterdam Association for Catholic Education (RVKO), overseeing 67 elementary schools (n= 21.000 pupils, n= 2400 professionals) supported my plans , so I started to teach the MBSR training to professionals in primary education. The overwhelmingly positive feedback led us to ponder how we might objectively demonstrate and understand the specific benefits of these practices, which inspired a pilot-study (Lensen et al., 2022) in collaboration with Radboud University -Behavioral science Institute, the Radboud University Medical Center- Center for Mindfulness, and the Trimbos Institute. And this subsequently paved the way for a largerscale randomized controlled trial. Stress among teachers a growing concern Teaching is acknowledged as one of the most demanding professions, often accompanied by significant work-related stress (Lomas et al., 2017; Agyapong et al., 2022; OECD, 2020). This stress is concerning for multiple reasons. First, it can undermine teachers’ well-being, encompassing their mental, emotional, and physical health, potentially leading to burnout, fatigue, and other health issues (Travers, 2017; de Carvalho, 2021). Second, stress can impede teachers’ performance and self-efficacy, negatively affecting the quality of the classroom climate, instructional strategies, and the provision of quality education, which may, in turn, influence student outcomes (Chong & Kong, 2012; Meristo 1
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