These days, each of us needs support. Especially those who are supporting others. We have therefore organized the first online meeting for employees of school counseling centers on Wednesday 18. 11. 2020. There was a great demand for the meeting and over 160 school counselors, principals, and teachers from all over the country had attended virtually. We have focused on supporting children with SEN during the pandemic, supporting the mental health of children and teachers, and children’s behavior support in the online environment. The children’s behavior support presentation describes some important principles and procedures of PBIS. 

You can find the video here. 

Providing support for children with SEN during distance education (PDF) 

Promoting self-regulation and mental health (PDF) 

Supporting children’s behavior in the online environment (PDF) 

The discussion brought many inspiring observations of the participants. We publish some of them: 

“Most important is the relationship between teacher and educational assistant (for children with SEN), if it does not work well in regular environment, it is then perhaps even more difficult in distance learning. We use assistants largely, for example for tutoring children. “ 

“I am very happy that we have assistants – they work individually, pay attention to the pupils needs, they also support those who do not have official recommendations from the counseling center, but they can also support those who need it – but we are still learning and looking for the best ways…” 

“I involved ed. assistants in the lessons and it’s great. The problem was mostly with the teachers, who didn’t cooperate. But it is already clearly proven, an assistant can contact the family, come to online classes, and can then work with the student individually. It is not only up to the teacher, who at this time is very busy communicating with parents and students, providing formative assessment etc. “ 

Relevant questions were raised in person and in the chat, and most of them were answered directly during the meeting and complemented by interesting experiences of the participants from their practice. 

Document Once We Meet at School Again – The Crisis Plan (PDF) is intended to guide Kindergartens, Primary and Secondary Schools during the periods of children returning back to schools after isolation, currently after the Covid-19 pandemic isolation. The document was created in collaboration with Bambíno Nursery and Square Primary School, supported by Vigvam Counseling, under the auspices of the Professional Community for the Prevention of Risk Behavior, OSPRCH, z.s., the Czech Society for Inclusive Education ČOSIV, z.s., the Czech Montessori Association, the Association of Small Innovative Schools and the Fair School.

“The intention was to create material that will support teachers in responding to the possible low spirits of children and students on their return to schools. It is important to advise teachers when to expect negative changes in behavior and feelings of children and their own during next school year and help them to respond adequately and attempt to prevent such changes where possible. The document describes common chronological sequence of changes in feelings and behavior based on our experiences from crisis work. If teachers take these variables into account in advance and prepare an explicit plan for what to do and not to do, it can contribute to increasing the feeling of security and faster adaptation to the situation. The document contains significant time periods with a description of their characteristics, emphasizing what to focus on when working with the class, and suggestions for possible activities for these periods. The specifics of the school year and the passage of time with regard to the holidays are also taken into account. The suggestions for activities in the document are broken down by individual age groups. Each age group to which the document relates has its own important “theme” in development, which comes to the fore with the closure of schools more than in other groups. Kindergarten children cannot be assumed to have been in virtual contact with each other or with adults, which may result in their return being a completely new adaptation. For primary and secondary school pupils, it can be assumed that mutual contact in the virtual world could have provided them with even narrower and closer form of contact compared to regular contact in schools. At the same time, the burden associated with school results, with regard to school graduation, entering exams, etc., appears significantly in the second mentioned groups.

The document contains both theoretical and practical information. It was created so that its parts were suitable for printing, adding written notes and for its practical use. It was not our goal to create an academic or study material. “

Ashoka acknowledges ČOSIV’s systematic activity in the field of alleviating inequalities in children’s educational opportunities and supporting inclusive education in Czech schools. Ashoka regards ČOSIV as an example of good practice in achieving the necessary systemic changes in education.

Ashoka has pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship, identifying and supporting the world’s leading social entrepreneurs since 1980. Ashoka concentrates on innovative solutions that bring social benefits and respond to today’s social and environmental challenges.

The ČOSIV case study shows the work of our organization in the current publication SYSTEMIC AND 08EMPOWERING (SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE TIME OF PHILANTHROCAPITALISM). The publication aim is to inspire, share practical examples and support social innovators across continents. The analysis of the Czech Society for Inclusive Education and its chairwoman Klára Laurenčíková case study, which can be found on pages 36 – 41, depicts the complexity of implementing systemic change and its impact on systemic support provision for children with special educational needs in Czech schools.

“The case of ČOSIV depicts the way in which social entrepreneurs focus on improving existing regulatory and legislative public systems to guarantee access to quality public service for everybody.”

ČOSIV unites non-profit organizations, representatives of the academic community, schools, parents and people with special educational needs in the Czech Republic and supports changes aiming towards higher justice in education. ČOSIV concentrates on the overall support and awareness of inclusive education based on data driven decision making and the provision of resources, capacity building and methodological support for schools so as to create suitable conditions for the provision of quality education to all children, including children with special educational needs and gifted children, who often need increased support in education. ČOSIV strives for equal and equitable access to quality education for all children, pupils and students, regardless of their socio-economic background, living conditions, origin, cultural environment or health status. ČOSIV aspiration is to ensure that every child will experience acceptance and success at school. This would be achieved then by supporting schools in establishing conditions that are promoting the full development of their educational potential. One of the many activities ČOSIV is carrying out to achieve its vision is the transformation of legislative, financial and capacity conditions that will enable implementation of an inclusive environment in all Czech schools.

Students need to feel safe at school and have good relationships with peers and teachers so that they can learn, develop their educational potential, and achieve educational success. Many students are exposed to various demanding conditions and experiences during a state of emergency. All students are experiencing changes to their regime, isolation from friends, school, and usual activities. For many children, even their basic necessities (especially sufficient food, sleep and a sense of security) were probably not regularly met. Such children urgently need a safe, predictable, and friendly school environment upon their return. Especially if they continue to be at risk of not meeting their basic needs in the family environment. 

In the enclosed document, are presented six strategies that increase the feeling of safety and predictability while supporting behavioral expectations. When returning to schools, using PBIS strategies help providing not only comprehensive support for all pupils, but also targeted support for children with a higher need for support.