The aim of SAS

1. SAFE AND ACTIVE SCHOOLDAYResearch in practiceFinnish-Estonian cooperationSAS FinalSeminarTallinn 1.11.2012Arja Virta & Riitta Asanti

2. The aim of SAS • Encourage students’ well-being and positive orientation toward schoolin Turku and Tallinn via Turku: 40 schools Tallinn: 45 schools • Promoting activity, safety, and cooperation at schools

3. 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?

4. Research teams 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) • Arja Virta- Head of the Finnish research group • Marjaana Virta • Riitta Asanti • Niina Junttila • Leena Koivusalo • Pasi Koski • ALL FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TURKU

5. Studies in Turku • School culture and values in Turku – a documentanalysis • Active and safe life as pupils’ experience – a survey study for 5th and 7th graders in Turku (n = 870) • Pupils’ Voice– a qualitativestudyaboutpupils’ experiencesaboutbreaktimes, schooldays and theirunderstanding of power and usingpower, (n = 600) • The effects of the SAS project and the bestpractices– opinions of the projectteachers in Turku (n= 33 + 45)

6. Studies in Tallinn • 2-step-study among schools’ personnel on culture and values • n = 422 • Students’ break-time study • n = 3324 • Survey on students’ activity, well-being, and safety • n = 2412 • Feedback focus-group interviews among teachers and students

7. Positive relations with teachers High social activity High self-esteem I ♥ school High empathy Not feeling lonely Not being bullied Aspects related to school-satisfaction

8. School culture and values

9. Values in Turku schools • Customerorientation, inhabitantorientation • Ability, creativity– respecting and supporting the individuality of eachpupil • 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

10. Values at Tallinn schools • Customer orientation - student centeredness • paying attention tostudents’different needs and abilities, health and development, socialization to the society; preparing students forto take future challenges, support development of students’ sense of responsibilityetc. • 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.)

14. Schoolcommunity – experiencedbyadolescents Classclimateand ownrole as a part of itwereseenmorepositivelythanschoolclimate and pupils’ possibilities to activelyparticipate. 5th gradershadmorepositiveopinionsabouttheirschool and classthan 7th graders. Thisdifferencewasseen in allfourindicators (p = 0,000 – 0,003).

15. ’I feelsafe at school’ Mostpupils in both 5th and 7th gradefeltsafe at school. 5th gradershaveagainansweredmorepositivelythan 7th graders (p = 0,005). 8-9 percent of both of ouragegroupsfeltunsafe. ”Ifyoufeelunsafe, whatareyouafraid of?” beingmentallybullied (callingnames, beingexcludedfromgroup, beinglaughed at etc.) beingphysicallybullied (schoolviolence) olderpupils that my thingswillbestolen a person mentionedbyname gettinglowgrades I don’tknow Therewasonly 1 mention of schoolshootings! (In 2008 data therewereseveral.)

16. Howmanypupils in yourschoolarefriendly and helpful?

17. 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

18. Safety, activity, and cooperationat Tallinn school culture -0,37 Safety (valued) Safety (perceived)

19. Safety, activity, and cooperationat Tallinn school culture - 0,27 Activity (valued) Activity (perceived)

20. Safety, activity, and cooperation at Tallinn school culture - 0,55 Cooperation (valued) Cooperation (perceived)

21. Positive relations with teachers High social activity High self-esteem I ♥ school High empathy Not feeling lonely Not being bullied Research and practice hand in hand

22. How have SAS activities supported the most important aspects of school joy?

23. Enhancing self-esteem • TALLINN • Students’ possibility to takeresponsibilityfororganizing activities and be active agencies; • Continuouspractice 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

24. Enhancing self-esteem • TURKU • Supportingeveryone to findan enjoyable hobby – having a hobby is connectedwithschooljoy • Givingeveryonechances to succeed – it’simportant to havepositive feedback and feelthemselvescompetent • Promotingclassatmosphereand the peernetworks – havingfriends is an importantaspect of schooljoy • Supportingeveryone to participate and dothingstogether– to see the results of theirownwork

25. Selfesteem (empiricalfindings) 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).

26. Promoting activity and empathy • TALLINN • Game-leaders / play-masters – older students take care of youngers, playingwith 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

27. Promoting activity and empathy • TURKU • Breaktimeactivators – olderstudentsplan and leadactivities for the younger, and make sure everyonecangetalong • The Ideaimuri – planningthingstogethersothateveryone’sideas and opinionscomevisible • Afternoonactivities– supportingeveryone to find a suitableafternoon club • Differentkinds of equipment for breaks, making the schoolsurroundingsmoreactivating

28. 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

29. Strengthening the bond between students and teachers • TURKU • Co-operatingwithfamilies– parentscanplan and carry out activitieswithpupils and teachers • Opencommunicationbetweenpupils and teachers • Teachers’ ownwell-being and attitudereflects to pupils’ attitudetowardsschool as well

30. 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 climateand relations. • Less noisy and more enjoyable environment thanks to well-organized initiatives at break-times. • Improvedrelationships between children– both peers and older-younger • More trustful relations between students and teachers. • Outdoor activities. Breaktimes have moved clearly more outside in Tallinn.