At the beginning of the school year, a special event took place in our school in which every newcomer of the 1st grade was ‘adopted’ by a 6th grader. Each older learner of our school undertook to take care of, support and guide a 1st grader throughout the school year. So far, we have noticed that strong relationships are being formed in the pairs of learners and that the dynamics of this undertaking are present in our everyday school life. The pairs meet spontaneously during school but also work together in organized occasions. For instance, they rehearsed together for a national celebration parade, 6th graders escorted young learners on day trips, they exchanged crafts and messages for a Christmas advent calendar etc.
This action, which has been received favorably from both pupils and parents, aims at making our school more inclusive and less intimidating for new learners, strengthening interpersonal relations and empathy and increasing social responsibility. After all, school is all about making everyone feel welcome!
