A Multilevel Approach of Promoting Resilience and Positive School Climate in the School Community During Unsettling Times

Abstract

This chapter describes the intervention of two primary prevention programs that were implemented in Greek schools following the economic crisis that effected Greece these last years. The first program was implemented during the first year of the crisis while the second one was implemented a year after. The programs aimed to provide support to the school communities and especially to promote resilience in order to deal with the adversities derived from the crisis. The chapter proposes a transnational model for enhancing resiliency in school communities in European countries that are especially affected by the economic crisis.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Thematic Unit A: Practical Model of Resilience Promotion: Identifying Values and Goal Setting

Activities for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6

Activity 1: Odysseus and His Company

THE LEGEND: After many years of staying in Troy, Odysseus is making preparations for his return to Ithaca. A team of sailors, who Odysseus trusts for their experience at sea and their loyalty, sail along with him. Odysseus and his companions will have to cooperate in order to succeed in reaching their destination: Ithaca.

Procedure

In an effort to unite the potential of the class in a team that will cooperate as effectively as possible, we ask the pupils to divide initially into teams of 4–5 persons per team. Every team has to register each member’s competencies. These competencies may not be only academic (i.e., he is good at grammar). Every team will unite their multiple skills in a poem/passage and will report to the class its synthesis. Then all the poems/passages are united in one, so EVERYONE’s skills are evident in the class. The pupils applaud their team. They congratulate each other on their skills and they decide altogether for the name of the ship that will navigate them in the sea of myths.

SUGGESTION: At this meeting where there is mention of the formation of the co-sailors on Odysseus’s boat, we can create work teams for our own boat. These teams will secure the best possible course, i.e.:

ESTIA—HEPHAESTUS team

(will be responsible for maintaining the class clean and tidy)

ATHENA—CHIRON team

(will be responsible for registering the course of the class keeping notes which will be cited at the meeting upon completion of the “Travel Log”

HERMES—APHRODITE team

(will be responsible for the transition of requests and thoughts of the classroom as a team to their teacher)

CRONOS—REA team

(will be responsible for the class security—from accidents or … quarrelling)

It would be better if these teams would change formation every week. In order to avoid delays from the formation of the teams on a weekly basis, we can define from the beginning who will be in which team and when, and put the program up in the classroom. Every team comprises 4–5 individuals and it is wise for the choice to be made at random—draw—so that everyone gets the chance to work with everyone in the classroom.

Activity 2: “Our Classroom’s Luggage”

The crew of the ship has by now registered their competencies and it is getting ready to begin the long voyage. Before sailing, though, the classroom suitcase must be prepared carrying the necessary supplies, which will secure the best possible course of the ship in the unknown waters of mythical voyages.

Procedure

We divide the class into teams of 4–5 students. We tell the class that they must have along in their journey a common suitcase, which will comprise “things” that will strengthen and support the members of the team in order to face probable difficulties that may occur and which will delay their arrival to their own …Ithaca. We, therefore, request from every team to register those stable elements that each of its members believe they will accompany him/her in his/her life; in the way of making decision, friends, and ways of life. The content of the suitcase must comprise the VALUES that each one holds, from all those or from that one thing he considers important in his life. (See teacher’s leaflet “Our life: values-goals.” Only the column on values is to be completed). For the completion of the leaflet, relative instructions are given. All registrations of the teams will be read in class and will be gathered symbolically in one box, in order to form the classroom luggage where the class can, if necessary, refer to in order to pick the “value” that will help them face the difficulties which they may encounter; in this way they will take new “supplies” in order to proceed with their voyage.

Activity 3: Where Is Our … Ithaca?

Odysseus, upon the completion of the Troyan war, begins his return voyage to his home town, Ithaca. This voyage lasted 10 years; he faced many difficulties and many pleasant and unpleasant situations. All this time though Odysseus had one goal only, to reach his island, his home, his family.

Procedure

We ask the class to work in groups of 4–5 people. Every group must write down the things they like in their teams and three to five things they would like to change. The things they wish to change will form the goals of the class, their final destination, Ithaca. What do they wish to accomplish as a team? To have a good time, to help each other, to eliminate fighting, everyone to learn from it, etc. The goals of the teams are registered on the board. The class in a secret or open voting chooses 3–5 goals they want to succeed.

(The goals of the classroom are written down by the teacher in the relevant printed matter that was given at the first training seminar: “Our class: values—goals”—we complete the columns Our positive elements/Our difficulties/Our goals). For the completion of the leaflet, relative instructions are given.

We ask from a team to prepare a poster-sign which will be put up in class and will remind everyone the final destination—the team’s goals.

Appendix 2: Thematic Unit B: Identifying, Expressing, and Dealing with Emotions

Activity for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6

One emotion…many situations

Goals

• Help students recognize various feelings

• Help students understand that the same feeling can be expressed in different situations

Procedure

Divide the class into small groups of 4–5 persons. Afterwards every team gets a colored cardboard, an envelope that contains the vocabulary of emotions and a number of drawings that show different situations of our daily lives. The children are asked to glue the drawings on the cardboard and then decide what words, from the ones given, are appropriate to describe the feelings the heroes of the drawings are facing; they can use more than one feeling for each drawing. When the activity is completed, every team will present its cardboard.

Discussion Points

• What differences were there among the collages of the teams?

• Can there be different emotions for same situation?

• Is the same emotion always caused by the same situation?

For example: can we feel angry for a lot of different reasons?

• What is the importance of recognizing and expressing emotions for us and for others?

We feel relieved, we communicate better with the others, we can empathize more easily, we understand and accept our emotions, we define our goals better, etc.

Materials Needed

Four colored cardboards, four colored envelopes, labels with words that refer to emotions, photocopies with drawings that show everyday life situations, four boxes of pins, eight glue sticks, eight boxes of markers.

Appendix 3: Thematic Unit C: Stress Management

Activity for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6

I help myself—I help my friends

Goals

• Help students comprehend strategies and ways that can help them face effectively a situation that creates intensive stress.

Procedure

We place on the board two children figures made from cardboard (a girl and a boy), Aristides and Melina. We narrate to the pupils a difficult situation that Aristides and Melina are facing (i.e., the lost their beloved puppy). We mention what they did to cope with the situation but without solving their problem in the end (i.e., they start blaming each other). The class is divided into three teams A, B, and C. Each team is asked to “help” its friends to feel better, by suggesting effective ways of coping with the situation. Every team presents their proposals to the class. All proposals are registered on the board, in three columns, so that it is clear which team has proposed what.

Discussion Points

• For what reason are the children upset?

• How did the two children cope with the situation?

• For what reason did each team propose the corresponding solutions?

Members of each team will have to “justify” why their proposals will have better results in this case.

• Which is the most effective way of coping with the particular situation?

• Why are there different proposals?

At this point, we must mention the way our individual differences, the specific characteristics of every individual, his/her experiences, etc. define the way he/she will handle a situation.

• What can we do to help when facing a stress-generating situation?

For example: think of what we can do or ask for help if we believe we cannot cope on our own, so to avoid impulsive reactions, etc.

Materials Needed

Two cardboard figures, a boy, a girl.

Sheets of paper, one for every team

Appendix 4: Thematic Unit D: Social Skills

Activity for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6

The unsociable Mr. Mayor

Goals

• Help students comprehend the importance of social skills in everyday life

Procedure

We inform the pupils that their class has been held responsible by the Highest Council of Municipalities and Communities, for the DISORDERCITY. The situation is as follows …

Mr. Unsociable is the Mayor of the DISORDERCITY. No one in this city says please or thank you. If he does, he will be punished by 10 days in prison in Mr. Eugenius’ prison. No one gives his things to others and if he does, he must pay a fine of 200€ to the treasury of NONSHARING. In case someone disagrees with a friend and does not fight, but simply finds a solution through discussion, he or she is immediately taken to the Peaceful Negotiations Detoxification Center. At the Municipality Council, Mr. Unsociable has imposed a law that says they must all speak simultaneously. Whoever dares to raise his hand must hold it up for 5 days. It is forbidden to wait in line to be served at the cafeteria which is in the main square with the clock. Whoever dares to wait in line pays his juice and toasted sandwich more expensive!

The class must appoint two committees, responsible for the difficult task of informing the Mayor but also the constituents on the consequences of such a situation. The first team will draw up a letter to Mr. Unsociable and the second will write a memorandum for the people of the DISORDERCITY about what they lose by adopting Mr. Unsociable’s instructions.

Discussion Points

• How difficult is life in an environment where there are no social skills and for what reasons?

• Who benefits in the end when adopting behaviors that include social skills?

The individual, the class, the school, the neighborhood, the city, the society, since through social skills we all have the possibility to develop as individuals and offer the team we belong to, to society…

• How do social skills improve the life of a society?

Politeness, cooperation, management of anger, the will to wait in line, etc. secure to the members of a society a better life, more creative, without distractions from enmities and frustration, in which society we all offer and develop.

• How many times do we feel as citizens of this DISORDERCITY and what can we do to make it change?

Appendix 5: Thematic Unit E: Conflict Management/Bullying

Activity for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6

Everybody knows….

Goals

• Help students realize that aggressiveness towards a schoolmate does not concern only those immediately involved.

• Help students realize that it is important to ask for help when we or anyone else is in danger.

• Help students understand the difference between “ask for help” and “be a snitch.”

Procedure

We divide the class into three teams and we read to them the following event:

These last two weeks every time Lyda sits on the bench in the school yard to read George’s and Nina’s company approach her. George makes fun of her using bad taste jokes and insulting comments. Lyda asks them to leave her alone. Nina laughs. After a while George throws her book on the ground and starts stepping on it. Stratos and Dimos, who usually sit near there, see the incident and continue eating their snack. Zeta and Peter ask the others to stop and leave Lyda alone. The abusive company blackmails all the rest. Mary and Despoina who have been watching the incident decide to inform the teacher about it.

Every team must answer the following question.

Who does this incident concern?

When the students write down their answers the teams report them to the class. A discussion then follows based on the following discussion points.

Discussion Points

• Who does this incident concern? (The whole class. Pupils are members of a wider team, their class. Since they are a team, this incident concerns all the students and their teacher)

• What is the reason this incident concerns everyone? (Whoever observes, participates, hears, knows, acts by watching a similar incident, he/she is a part. If someone simply watches or reacts or takes some decision does not mean that he is a stranger to this, it concerns all of them)

• Which part is the most difficult and for what reason? (The most difficult part is of those who choose to be simple observes and not to get involved—because they know what is happening is not correct but they choose, for their own reasons, to keep a passive position—but also the position of those who react by talking to the abusers or notifying an adultbecause they may be the target of comments, particularly those who decide to ask for help, since they can be characterized as “snitches.”

• What is the difference between “snitching” and “calling for help” (In the second case, we decide to protect someone who is in danger or faces a nasty situation and we want to help. The unwritten law of “I don’t tell” can be applicable only when someone’s security and dignity are not at stake)