SAFE AND ACTIVE SCHOOLDAY

Estonian-Finnish cooperation

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

• Research groups• Tallinn University & Psience – The Center of Applied

Psychology• University of Turku

• Studies in Tallinn• Students’ break-time study (n = 3324)• Survey on students’ activity, well-being, and safety (n = 2412)• 2-step study among schools’ personnel on culture and values (n =

422)• Feedback focus-group interviews among teachers and students

Aspects related to school-satisfaction

I ♥ school

I ♥ school

High self-esteem

High self-esteem

Not feeling lonely

Not feeling lonely

High social activity

High social activity

Positive relations with

teachers

Positive relations with

teachers

High empathyHigh empathy

Not being bullied

Not being bullied

Supporting self-esteem

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

Promoting activity and emphaty

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

Better relations between students and teachers

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

Ongoing value...• Value fit. SAS project supported nicely schools’ values and matched

well with other projects which enhance active and caring school life• Equipments. Teachers are happy with break time equipment

provided by SAS project. • 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.

Value of cross-boarder cooperation

• Learning from each other experiences• Teachers-directors level• Students level

• Notice the similarities of basic issues• Tallinn schools started to move breaktimes outside, some

Finnish schools vice-versa

Looking into the future

The effect of SAS is sustainable

Future cross-boarder projects’ emphases: students’ social skills (communication, cooperation, empathy) school motivation (esp teenagers) core values in action healthy lifestyle (eating, physical activity) ...

Thank you!

Eva-Maria KangroSAS research group

evamaria@psience.ee