At the "Greetings to the decision-makers" meeting, the children had the opportunity to ask questions and influence
The goal is participation, the opportunity to influence and the joy of working together
The Right to Learning theme of the national Children's Rights Week last week also awakened adults and children in Äänekoski to think about the conditions and possibilities of learning and to enjoy the joy of learning. In Äänekoski, the topic was addressed at least at Koulunmäki unified school, where the Greetings to decision-makers meeting combined the most important goals of the Child's Rights Week and the Welfare Week held at the same time: Participation, the opportunity to influence and the joy of doing things together.
In the social studies elective group of Koulunmäki Unified School, there has been a lively discussion during the past fall about the basics of teaching, special group places and the realities that affect everyday school work. Since the laws, budgets or political policies that regulate school work are not up to the school staff to decide, Satu Tarvainen, the service coordinator for teaching and education, promised to come answer the questions of the young people and take the message they heard back to the decision-makers.
Who is supported and on what grounds?
The meeting focused on important value issues. The increasing number of absences in upper secondary school worries both young people and adults, and the students' reflections were summed up in the question: Shouldn't the school support the students who attend, not those who are absent?
- Many laws and regulations determine the ways in which the city organizes education. Every child and young person has the right to study, so all students must have a school place. Although this can sometimes seem unfair to students who attend school regularly, the purpose is to make sure that each student gets the most effective support possible, says Satu Tarvainen.
Why are the small groups so full?
Koulunmäki unified school has many students who need teaching in a smaller group. What are the criteria to get into a small group? The young people wanted to hear the reasons for who decides which students get into special groups and on what basis.
- The starting point is always to bring support primarily to one's own class and the nearby school. Sometimes the situation is such that the support can no longer be implemented in the general education group. In this case, the adults working around the student and the guardians can together decide that the support is implemented in a small group, either partially or completely. Admission to a special education small group is therefore never the decision of one person, says Tarvainen.
- In the small groups at Äänekoski, almost every group has the full number of students. The law specifies that, as a general rule, a small group with special support can have 10 or 8 students. In the class of the most severely disabled students, the group size is 6 students. These amounts may be temporarily exceeded.
Why do students change in special support groups?
Young people were particularly worried about student turnover in support groups and its effects on getting to know classmates and forming groups. Permanence came up several times in the students' speeches.
- In small groups, student exchanges certainly cause the students in the class to feel that there are constant changes. After this discussion, we adults must think together about how to make the voice of young people even better heard in these situations. Young people's concern that students who are absent a lot take special group places away from the most motivated students is a very important question to consider, says Tarvainen.
"Bread and circus fun"
In the one-hour Greetings to the Decision Makers meeting, even difficult topics were discussed in a gentle spirit. In accordance with the theme of the well-being week, the meeting focused on a pleasant feeling. Baking for the home economics lesson had been covered and Satu Tarvainen had hired dwarf poodles Hipu and Aslak as assistants.
The purpose of the dogs was to show off their hard-practiced tricks, but together we realized that when there are other interesting things around, it is not always so easy to focus on what should be done. Some tricks were seen, but in Hipu's opinion, his own math assignments were too boring until Friday afternoon, when the alternative was to get to know new friends in class.
Welcome to hear the students' thoughts
The meeting showed once again how talkative, clever and bravely questioning things the young people of Äänekoski are. Satu Tarvainen promised to take the young people's greetings to the city hall to the Director of Education Niina Rautane and other office holders and decision-makers.
The school's doors are open, so adults interested in the opinions of young people are warmly welcome to the school to hear more.
For more information:
Special class teacher Hanna Koistinen, 040 861 57 67, hanna.koistinen@aanekoski.fi
News published, modified 27.11.2024 at 13:01
