Although it is currently important to pay attention to social distancing at school, social cohesion is not forgotten at the European School Munich. On Friday, September 4th, a day of respect was held and with it the kick-off event of the anti-bullying programme KiVa for classes P2 to P4 of the Primary School. KiVa is Finnish and means "beautiful" or "nice". It is a social learning programme developed by the University of Turku. Its aim is to prevent bullying even before a problem arises. The programme is scientifically monitored and its effectiveness is proven.
This year, of course, everything was a little different than usual. The classes prepared independently for the topic. They asked themselves questions in class, such as how they imagine a pleasant school atmosphere or what rules are needed for mutual respect. Hanna Mührl and Christiaan Dekker from the SMiLe team approached the classes via video chat on teams. They had a new friend with them: the doll VaKi. And she had many questions about KiVa. At her last school she was not doing so well - so she is happy to be at a school where everyone is friendly and respectful with her and with each other. In this way, the children learn in a playful way what is important in working together.
During the breaks there was a big surprise: Mr. Pepy and Mr. Dekker sang "Don't worry, be KiVa" for the school children on the playground and the school song "Wir sind die ESM!", which Christiaan Dekker had composed in the previous school year - of course with appropriate distance between the different groups. The song can also be viewed on the ESM Pinboard on SharePoint. You need to register via Microsoft access with the eursc.eu identification.
Finally, there was a little present for the school children: a ribbon with knots. This is to remind them of KiVa and the values of respect and community that are conveyed today. With this thought in mind, everyone helps to establish a positive school climate together.
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