These schools make parents and children socially fit

Biel teacher Christine Daepp founded the first ideas office in 2002. This initiative gave rise to the association of the same name. The concept behind it: Older pupils advise younger ones on problems and the realisation of ideas. There are currently over 150 ideas offices in Swiss schools, including the Wallbach primary school in Aargau since 2016.

In the ideas office, children advise each other on problems and ideas

Pupils usually contact the Ideas Office about minor conflicts - for example, if a child has been insulted or pushed or someone has hidden their belongings. Counsellors then help them to solve the problem.

Four sixth-formers can apply for this role each semester. When selecting the children, attention is paid to what motivates them to apply and to what extent the counselling role can promote their social and communication skills.

When the counsellor children experience themselves as self-effective, they are keen to take on responsibility and help shape the school community.

Sabine Kiesling, school social worker

School social worker Sabine Kiesling is responsible for the application process as well as the training, induction and support of the counsellors. Kiesling says that the counselling team from the Ideas Office usually conducts its discussions on its own initiative: «The children receiving counselling practise putting themselves in the shoes of their classmates and finding solutions to their conflicts and concerns independently as experts on their own behalf. The pupils appreciate the counselling team because they meet them as equals.»

In addition, the team of advisors learns how to advocate creative suggestions from their fellow pupils to the school management and local authority, as well as how to present their own ideas. In this way, for example, a half-pipe and a canopy for the bicycle and scooter stands could be realised on the school grounds.

«When the counsellor children experience themselves as self-effective, they are keen to take on responsibility and help shape the school community. Thanks to this commitment, their classmates see them as role models, which in turn can have a positive effect on their social behaviour,» says Kiesling.

Internal referee instead of house rules

Kaisten primary school in Aargau shows how social and personal skills can be promoted. The school management uses the «inner referee» to teach children basic rules without imposing comprehensive house rules. With the help of this likeable mascot, the children learn in an age-appropriate and playful way that everyone has a conscience. This shows them how they should behave on a daily basis using a variety of signals.

They practise consciously recognising the associated feelings, seeing them as useful and dealing with their causes: The queasy feeling in your stomach, for example, can be your body's own alarm system that warns you of danger or misbehaviour. It is symbolised by a whistle.

The aim is for the children to develop a positive self-image that enables them to act confidently and empathetically at the same time. This results in fewer conflicts.

The children also learn strategies for avoiding or resolving such signals - or feelings. And they learn that their conscience can also make them feel good, for example when they show helpful behaviour. Such behaviour is rewarded with a green happiness card.

«After just a few lessons, the children recognise the function of the inner referee and know why it makes itself known,» says school social worker Robin Reinhard. The aim is for children to develop a positive self-image that enables them to act with self-confidence and empathy.

They learn to recognise and respect their own boundaries and those of the other person. This reduces the number of conflict situations and makes it easier to de-escalate them. In order to anchor the concept, which has been part of the school programme in Kaisten since 2018, more firmly in everyday life, the school social service has linked it to year group topics. Since then, a workshop has been held at each grade level under the guidance of school social worker Reinhard, the elements of which build on each other.

Ideally, the workshop takes place in collaboration with the teacher, which gives them helpful input for their lessons, says Reinhard. And emphasises: «The inner referee only contributes to the promotion of self and social skills and a positive school climate in the long term if all teachers live the concept.»

Family classroom: children and parents go to school together

Kriens LU was the first school community in Switzerland to introduce the Family Classroom (FKZ) in 2013. As a voluntary school support programme, the FKZ strengthens the resources of families and their relationships. In the FKZ, several families meet for at least three months for half a day a week, facilitated and accompanied by a teacher and a person with socio-educational or psychotherapeutic training who has undergone further training in multifamily work.

«Parents and children find new approaches to their problems through joint role play, bodywork and creative activities. The families practise dealing with conflict situations and learn from each other,» explains Sorina Zollinger, psychotherapist and coach at the FKZ.

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«We want to strengthen children and parents in their emotional regulation, which enables the child to have good bonding experiences. If parents are prepared to reflect on and adapt their own behaviour together with the child and in discussion with the group, they also help to improve the child's social skills,» says Myriam Achermann, psychologist and Head of School Services Kriens.

«Not being alone with their difficulties gives parents the strength to break away from unfavourable coping patterns. They experience themselves as self-effective and feel more competent in their role as parents,» says Thomas Tanner, Kriens school social worker and FKZ coach.

The stronger presence of parents at school gives their children support so that they can cope better with everyday school life. «It's a relief for the teacher to pull together with the family. They also develop a different attitude and learn to develop the child's social skills together with the parents,» says Maya Heer, primary school teacher in Kriens and FKZ coach. This benefits the whole class.