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.