PAGE 21
Prevention – Aim to reduce bullying The preventive (universal) actions focus on all pupils learning how to prevent bullying. Lessons, class activities, and online games form the foundation of KiVa. Intervention – Tools to tackle highlighted cases of bullying The intervention (indicated) actions in KiVa are targeted specifically at pupils who have been involved in bullying. The goal is to provide schools and pupils with solution-focused tools to stop bullying. Annual monitoring KiVa offers tools to monitor the situation in the schools through an annual online survey for pupils and teaching staff. The feedback provided to schools enables them to understand their situation and how to improve their bullying prevention work. Finnish children achieve excellent academic outcomes, however, in 2006 the Finnish Government decided to focus on enhancing child well-being, and with this recognised the need to monitor bullying levels. For many years the government had relied on legislation that placed obligations on schools to design their own action plans and required a commitment from school staff to intervene immediately in bullying situations (“zero tolerance”). However, this failed to produce any changes in child reported levels of bullying. At the same time Professor Salmivalli and colleagues, at Turku University had completed many years of research on the social architecture of bullying and the role of bystanders, so the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture contracted with Turku University to develop and evaluate an anti-bullying programme for schools within the Finnish comprehensive system (grades one to nine, children aged seven to fifteen years). KiVa is an acronym for “Kiusaamista Vastaan” (against bullying) and "kiva" is also a Finnish adjective for "nice". The KiVa programme is based on robust research that shows how the responses of bystanders maintain or decrease bullying behaviour. It aims to affect norms and skills, behaviour, attitudes, and the classroom and school climate. The programme has universal actions, at both class and school level, and indicated actions that address confirmed cases of bullying. Universal components The universal curriculum contains three lesson units suitable for ages 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15 years respectively supported by training, resources, class lessons, online activities, and parental advice and support. Units 1 and 2 both have ten structured lessons, each lasting approximately an hour and a half. Typically, each lesson is split into two 45-minute lessons a month. The lessons cover being part of a team, respect for others, learning about emotions, group interaction processes, and group pressure. They also provide explanations about types of bullying, how it is influenced by the bystander, its consequences and how both individuals and the class as a group can reduce it. The lessons include: discussions (class and small groups), role-play, video clips of people talking about having been bullied, group work, written assignments and whole class activities.
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker