KiVa Kindness – Let’s do it together!  He waka eke noa!

Te Rā School is a KiVa school! KiVa is a research-based antibullying programme developed by a Finnish university and rolled out internationally. It incorporates experiences from existing intervention programmes used around the world. KiVa is short for Finnish ‘Kiusaamista Vastaan’ which means ‘against bullying’. At our school we refer to it as “KiVa Kindness”.

This parent guide is very helpful. (Please note that the virtual document on the webpage can be very slow to load – worth the wait though!)

Bullying is one-sided, unfair and disrespectful behaviour. It is aimed at intentionally hurting or harming someone – often with no reason. Bullying is always wrong. It is disrespectful treatment, and nobody deserves it.

Our Kiva programme sits within the Te Rā School Behaviour Support policy and has two components. The first component aims to create a culture that prevents bullying behaviours to take root in the first place – through creating a culture of kindness, and through helping the children understand the role they can play in identifying and stopping bullying behaviours if they occur.

This is delivered for all of our ākonga from Class 1 through to Class 7. In each of these classes the KiVa programme is incorporated in an age-appropriate way and grounded in the kaupapa of our special character. In the younger classes, the KiVa/Kindness model is supported and integrated throughout each day. For our older classes, class teachers plan and teach KiVa lessons. The children learn to identify how we can together make our kura a place of belonging, where everybody feels safe and enjoys being a member of our community.

The second component of the KiVa approach is the response when bullying behaviours are suspected or have been identified. Our KiVa team is comprised of a group of our teachers who are trained to respond to incidents of bullying within the KiVa framework. Students who are responsible for bullying are supported to change the behaviours that are causing harm to others. We have found this approach to be highly effective.

A shared understanding of what is bullying helps children and adults alike to clearly identify this behaviour, which is a first step to addressing it. The KiVa definition for bullying is that it is behaviour that is:

• INTENTIONAL
• REPEATED (over a period of time)
• causing DISTRESS or HARM
• in a way that is DELIBERATE and TARGETED at the SAME individual or group of individuals.

Where bullying is suspected or identified, the class teacher makes a referral to the KiVa team leader, who will use the process outlined in the KiVa programme to determine how the students involved can best be supported. Where bullying or another harmful behaviour is identified, the KiVa team follows the KiVa process.

If you are concerned about bullying behaviour involving your child, the first step is to organise a meeting with their class teacher.

Thereza Scott (KiVa team leader)

Health curriculum statement

Te Rā School implements a programme of Health Education based on the New Zealand Curriculum, and in keeping with the school’s Special Character (Waldorf) curriculum and values. The following key areas are identified in the NZ curriculum document:

• Mental health
• Sexuality education
• Food and nutrition
• Body care and physical safety
• Physical activity
• Sport studies
• Outdoor education.

These areas are taught through the Te Rā School Curriculum and are embedded within learning contexts as much as possible. Teachers plan and deliver age-appropriate and culturally responsive units of learning that empower students to make health enhancing choices, support the development of healthy habits and grow resilience. External providers may be invited to support the delivery of aspects of the Health & PE curriculum in conjunction with class teachers.

Te Rā School teachers use a range of appropriate teaching strategies that engage students and support the development of key competencies. Teacher use opportunities to integrate Health Education learning within the Te Rā Waldorf School Curriculum.

The programme aims to give our students the knowledge, skills and attitudes to maintain and enhance wellbeing. Students will recognise social and societal influences on wellbeing and be given opportunities to take action to promote their own and others’ well-being.