PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF WELL- BEING OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH AND WHAT CAN WE DO IN SCHOOLS TO PROMOTE IT? An academic perspective

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ABOUT KIDS’ LIFESTYLES ARE CONNECTED WITH SCHOOL WELL-BEING? (KORPPAS, M., ASANTI, R., JUNTTILA, N., KOIVUSILTA, L., KOSKI, P., VIRTA, A. & OITTINEN, A ) + Participating in regularly organised free-time activities + Having close friends in the same class + Having a positive conception about own school success -Spending ’screen time’ many hours a day (TV, computer, video games) -Being home alone many hours a day -Not having hobbies -Social and emotional loneliness

SCHOOL AND CLASS ATMOSPHERE Having friends on the same class is connected to positive experience of school and class climate and about oneself as a part of it. Other things connected with these experience are - school size - A positive conception about one’s own school success - Generally, 50 % of pupils experienced their school atmosphere positively, and 2/3 experienced their class atmosphere positively. -There were no big differences between boys and girls.

WHAT COULD BE DONE IN SCHOOLS DO TO PROMOTE PUPILS’ WELL-BEING? (Korppas, M., Asanti, R., Junttila, N., Koivusilta, L., Koski, P., Virta, A. & Oittinen, A ) To increase the after-school leisure activities (especially for those who are least active in their leisure time). Co-operate with childrens’ homes to minimize the time spent watching TV, surfing on the Internet, playing video games. (It’s connected with several negative experiences about school climate and social relations.) To give each child possibilities to have experiences about succeeding and seeing themselves positively. To develop break times so that everyone could be physically or/and socially active and not excluded from the peer group. Support feeling of togetherness and co-operation inside class communities. Special attention should be given to those who don’t seem to have close friends in the class. Give children opportunities to plan and organise events together.

BREAK TIME STORIES – GRADES 5 AND 6 ACTIVE BREAK ”Lauri went to ask his friends to play ’kirkonrotta’. Lauri was the first one to seek the others. He caught everyone.” ”Laura was sitting by herself. Two other girls saw her. They came to ask if Laura wanted to play too. Laura was very happy to have friends.” INACTIVE BREAK ” During the break time Laura has just been sitting by herself and watching the others play.” ”Lauri saw his classmates play football. He went to join them, but they took the ball and ran away shouting: Help, Lauri is coming! They knew Lauri was slower." SAFE BREAK ”Laura saw a little girl fall on the ground. She went to the break supervisor and told about what happened. The little girl was taken to the school nurse.” ”Lauri feels safe because he was accepted to join the others play, no one was fighting and there was a teacher supervising the break.” UNSAFE BREAK ”Laura felt scared about breaks because she was threatened and bullied. She thought she had to be quiet about it because if she told someone, it would get worse.” ”Laura saw two big boys bully a little boy. She felt sad. She couldn’t tell the teachers, because if the boys found out, they might start to bully her too.”

WHAT MAKES AN ACTIVE AND A SAFE BREAK TIME IN PUPILS’ EYES (AND WHAT HINDERS IT)? ACTIVE BREAK Physical activity Social interaction, togetherness, participation. Competence, social status in peer group. Group games are meaningful for all these things, and they were often mentioned in stories. They give a chance to physical activity and they are an easy way to be together as a group. They also give a chance to feel competent and show one’s skills. INACTIVE BREAK Not having anything to do Loneliness and rejection, problems with friends (it’s typical in these stories to be left outside from a group game or discussion, and being stigmatized as an outsider). Poor conditions: lacking equipment, dull yard, bad weather SAFE BREAK Good friends and class community Following rules in games, taking care of others when needed. Supervising adults, getting help from them in problematic situations. UNSAFE BREAK ” Mental bullying in several ways: mocking, calling names, rejecting, staring, laughing, spreading stories, stealing things. Violent behavior or a threat of it Adults don’t know or see what’s happening and they are not told – fear, that the situation would only get worse.