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Research and practice hand in hand Which aspects are related to positive school-orientation the most? What is similar and what is different in Turku’s and Tallinn’s school-life? What have we learned from each other? How could schools sustainably support students’ „school- joy“? What does really work in practice? How has the SAS project contributed to the better school life?
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SAFE AND ACTIVE SCHOOLDAY
Research in practiceFinnish-Estonian cooperation
SAS Final SeminarTallinn 1.11.2012
Arja Virta & Riitta Asanti
The aim of SAS
Encourage students’ well-being and positive orientation toward school in Turku and Tallinn
Promoting activity, safety, and cooperation at schools
via Tallinn: 45 schoolsTurku: 40 schools
Research and practice hand in hand• Which aspects are related to positive school-orientation
the most? • What is similar and what is different in Turku’s and
Tallinn’s school-life? What have we learned from each other?
• How could schools sustainably support students’ „school- joy“?
• What does really work in practice?• How has the SAS project contributed to the better school
life?
Research teams
Turku• Arja Virta - Head of the Finnish
research group • Marjaana Virta• Riitta Asanti • Niina Junttila • Leena Koivusalo • Pasi Koski
• ALL FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TURKU
Tallinn• Leida Talts - Head of the Estonian
research group (Tallinn University)• Maia Muldma (Tallinn University)• Katrin Poom-Valickis (Tallinn
University)• Airi Kukk (Tallinn University)• Mai Normak (Tallinn University)• Mare Tuisk (Tallinn University)• Eva-Maria Kangro (Psience OÜ)• Anne-Mari Ernesaks (Psience OÜ)• Kärolin Šults (Psience OÜ)• Katrin Noormägi (Psience OÜ)
Studies in Turku1. School culture and values in Turku – a document
analysis2. Active and safe life as pupils’ experience – a survey
study for 5th and 7th graders in Turku (n = 870)3. Pupils’ Voice – a qualitative study about pupils’
experiences about break times, school days and their understanding of power and using power, (n = 600)
4. The effects of the SAS project and the best practices – opinions of the project teachers in Turku (n= 33 + 45)
Studies in Tallinn1. 2-step-study among schools’ personnel on culture and
values • n = 422
2. Students’ break-time study • n = 3324
3. Survey on students’ activity, well-being, and safety• n = 2412
4. Feedback focus-group interviews among teachers and students
Aspects related to school-satisfaction
I ♥ school
High self-esteem
Not feeling lonely
High social activity
Positive relations with
teachers
High empathy
Not being bullied
School culture and values
Values in Turku schools
• Customer orientation, inhabitant orientation• Ability, creativity – respecting and supporting the
individuality of each pupil• Sustainable development• Justice – equality, tolerance, human rights• Co-operation – between schools and families, between
classes and pupils of different age, with companies, sports clubs and other agencies of the society
Values at Tallinn schools
• Customer orientation - student centeredness • paying attention to students’ different needs and abilities, health
and development, socialization to the society; preparing students for to take future challenges, support development of students’ sense of responsibility etc.
• Quality, professional character • teachers’ competency, quality of curricula and school system
• Contemporary, multifaceted, tolerant, safe and active school environment
• Co-operation, openness, creativity, caring and positive attitude
Safety, activity, and cooperation at Turku school culture
Activity: The school building and its surroundings support children to be active
• Adequate spaces for common activities and different kinds of school work• Adequate equipment for arts, sports and information technology• Positive aspects about school surroundings (closeness to nature, sports
activities, closeness to e.g. libraries, swimming halls, field trip places)• The economic facts – schools have limited resources, can’t always get all the
equipment and spaces they would like to have.
Safety, activity, and cooperation at Turku school culture
Safety: School rules and limits for students’ behavior and activities
• School rules and regulations – usually they are based on the school values
• In some schools, students can participate making the rules• School expects conformity in students’ behaviour, but promotes
individuality in learning and working• The main rules are against school violence and bullying, and
behaving in the classroom and school surroundings
Safety, activity, and cooperation in Turku school culture
Co-operation: Common activities during school days
• Working with common themes and events – supporting togetherness and combining different school subjects
• Co-operation between students from different classes, also different aged students
• Co-operation with the families and the community outside school (companies, sports clubs etc.)
School community – experienced by adolescents
Class climate and own role as a part of it were seen more positively than school climate and pupils’ possibilities to actively participate.
5th graders had more positive opinions about their school and class than 7th graders. This difference was seen in all four indicators (p = 0,000 – 0,003).
’I feel safe at school’Most pupils in both 5th and 7th grade felt safe at school. 5th graders have again answered more positively than 7th graders (p = 0,005).
8-9 percent of both of our age groups felt unsafe.
”If you feel unsafe, what are you afraid of?”
• being mentally bullied (calling names, being excluded from group, being laughed at etc.)• being physically bullied (school violence)• older pupils• that my things will be stolen• a person mentioned by name• getting low grades• I don’t know
There was only 1 mention of school shootings! (In 2008 data there were several.)
How many pupils in your school are friendly and helpful?
Safety, activity, and cooperation at Tallinn school culture
• Safety, activity, and cooperation: important values for Tallinn schools
• The most appearant values in everyday school life: • Traditions • Orientation to success • Highly qualified teachers• Active life-style
• The least appearant (but still important!) values:• Cooperation – the most critical aspect to develop• Openness • Independence, sense of responsibility
Safety, activity, and cooperation at Tallinn school culture
-0,37
4,244,61
0
1
2
3
4
5
Koolipere turvalisus Koolielu turvalisusSafety(perceived)
Safety(valued)
Safety, activity, and cooperation at Tallinn school culture
- 0,274,14
4,41
0
1
2
3
4
5
Koolipere aktiivsus Koolielu aktiivsusActivity
(perceived)Activity(valued)
Safety, activity, and cooperation at Tallinn school culture
- 0,55
3,89
4,44
0
1
2
3
4
5
Koostöö avaldumine koolis Koostöö olulisus koolisCooperation(perceived)
Cooperation(valued)
I ♥ school
High self-esteem
Not feeling lonely
High social activity
Positive relations with
teachers
High empathy
Not being bullied
Research and practice hand in hand
How have SAS activities supported the most important aspects of school joy?
Enhancing self-esteem
TALLINN Students’ possibility to take responsibility for organizing
activities and be active agencies; Continuous practice of social skills which leads to positive
feedback from peers and teachers, and feel of safety Experience of supervising and coaching for game-leaders. Different kind of environments for different students during
break-times Noticing lonely children and playing with them Performances etc in a supportive and positive atmosphere Positive feedback from teachers
Enhancing self-esteem
TURKU Supporting everyone to find an enjoyable hobby – having a
hobby is connected with school joy Giving everyone chances to succeed – it’s important to
have positive feedback and feel themselves competent Promoting class atmosphere and the peer networks –
having friends is an important aspect of school joy Supporting everyone to participate and do things together
– to see the results of their own work
Self esteem (empirical findings)The self esteem indicator in this survey is a modified version of Rosenberg (1968). We used 4 of Rosenberg’s 7 statements:
• I feel I’m worth at least as much as anyone else.• I believe I have many good qualities.• I can do things as well as other people.• All in all, I’m happy with myself.
There were no big differences in 5th and 7th graders’ self esteem.
Girls seem to have a lower self esteem than boys in both 5th and 7th grade (p<0,001).
Promoting activity and empathy
TALLINN Game-leaders / play-masters – older students take care
of youngers, playing with them, reading, talking etc to them
More fun during break-times School-events Directing young childrens’ energy into socially accepted
activities Older students’ caring attitude toward younger kids Moving break times outside which is a great step (esp
for large city schools) that students value a lot
Promoting activity and empathy
TURKU Break time activators – older students plan and lead
activities for the younger, and make sure everyone can get along
The Ideaimuri – planning things together so that everyone’s ideas and opinions come visible
Afternoon activities – supporting everyone to find a suitable afternoon club
Different kinds of equipment for breaks, making the school surroundings more activating
Strengthening the bond between students and teachers
TALLINN More joint activities Teachers and students as partners in organizing events
etc Teacher’s initiativeness and modeling Trusting students’ and giving them more responsibility Giving positive feedback and express warm feelings
Strengthening the bond between students and teachers
TURKU Co-operating with families – parents can plan and carry
out activities with pupils and teachers Open communication between pupils and teachers Teachers’ own well-being and attitude reflects to pupils’
attitude towards school as well
Ongoing value• Value fit. SAS project supported nicely schools’ values and matched
well with other projects which enhance active and caring school life• Sustainability. Furthermore, the change in social and psychological
meaning has even greater value: new ways of organizing break-times are based on better social skills, cooperation and thus support childrens’ self-esteem and sense of responsibility.
• Better climate and relations. • Less noisy and more enjoyable environment thanks to well-organized initiatives
at break-times. • Improved relationships between children – both peers and older-younger • More trustful relations between students and teachers.
• Outdoor activities. Breaktimes have moved clearly more outside in Tallinn.