ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL “MARJAN” SPLIT“MARJAN” SPLIT

October, 2011.October, 2011.

Elementary school «Marjan» is situated in the western part of the city, along the edge of forest park Marjan after which it is named.

BBasic information about the schoolasic information about the school::• 490 pupils490 pupils, 23 classes, 23 classes• 48 teachers 48 teachers • 4 a4 associates in ssociates in eeducationducation: :

psychologist, psychologist, logopedlogoped, , pedagoguepedagogue, , librarianlibrarian

• 3 classes in Clinical Hospital Split3 classes in Clinical Hospital Split

• ourour motto is motto is «Let's make «Let's make a a man»man»

• By examining the state of mutual By examining the state of mutual relations between all participants in relations between all participants in educational work we have long educational work we have long understood that for good atmosphere of understood that for good atmosphere of the pedagogical work it's necessary to the pedagogical work it's necessary to implement numerous activities which implement numerous activities which enrich it. enrich it.

• By various forms of By various forms of research work we research work we encourage the liberation encourage the liberation of pupils’ creative of pupils’ creative thoughts and thoughts and the the developdevelopment ofment of their their creativity.creativity.

• We are aware of the We are aware of the importance of real life importance of real life surroundings in education so surroundings in education so we strive to make the whole we strive to make the whole city our classroom (out of city our classroom (out of classroom teaching, classroom teaching, fieldwork and excursions), fieldwork and excursions), especially forest park Marjan especially forest park Marjan and the sea shore and the sea shore surroundingsurrounding it.it.

We have designed our own projects like We have designed our own projects like • Culture of speaking, Culture of speaking, • Different people enrich us, Different people enrich us, • Professional orientation – the choice of Professional orientation – the choice of

occupation occupation

and we have joined in other projects like and we have joined in other projects like • UNICEF's UNICEF's ““Stop Violence among ChildrenStop Violence among Children”” • UNICEF'sUNICEF's «Break the chain»«Break the chain» a campaign a campaign against cyberbullying against cyberbullying

1. UNICEF PROJECT – FOR A SAFE AND 1. UNICEF PROJECT – FOR A SAFE AND STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLSSTIMULATING ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS

• In 2005 our school joined this UNICEF In 2005 our school joined this UNICEF programme.programme.

• In 2007, upon successfuly completing In 2007, upon successfuly completing the programme “Seven Steps to a the programme “Seven Steps to a Safer School”, we were awarded Safer School”, we were awarded Violence free status and joined the Violence free status and joined the Network of Violence Free Schools. Network of Violence Free Schools.

• In 2009 our Violence free status was In 2009 our Violence free status was renewed.renewed.

Working with pupils – we have taught our pupils to recognize cases Working with pupils – we have taught our pupils to recognize cases of bullying as well as violence victims and we empowered them to of bullying as well as violence victims and we empowered them to take appropriate action in situations of violent behaviour among take appropriate action in situations of violent behaviour among children.children.

We have established a peer support group – called Friends who We have established a peer support group – called Friends who have learned how to get to know themselves and others in a have learned how to get to know themselves and others in a positive way, to recognise and tolerate the differences and positive way, to recognise and tolerate the differences and similarities among people, to receive and to give support, to similarities among people, to receive and to give support, to develop self esteem, to identify feelings and to intercede for develop self esteem, to identify feelings and to intercede for themselves and their rights .themselves and their rights .

2. UNICEF PROJECT – A CAMPAIGN AGAINST 2. UNICEF PROJECT – A CAMPAIGN AGAINST CYBERBULLYING “BREAK THE CHAIN!”CYBERBULLYING “BREAK THE CHAIN!”Objectives:Objectives:

• Raise awareness of the benefits and dangers of the Internet.Raise awareness of the benefits and dangers of the Internet.• Teach children how to use the Internet safely.Teach children how to use the Internet safely.• Add to existing values, rules and consequences those that Add to existing values, rules and consequences those that

prevent cyberbullying. prevent cyberbullying. • This campaign is being conducted in 29 schools in Croatia This campaign is being conducted in 29 schools in Croatia

and our school is the first in our county involved in its and our school is the first in our county involved in its implementation.implementation.

In November of 2010, we were invited to International In November of 2010, we were invited to International Conference of Innovation in Education in Belgrade as an Conference of Innovation in Education in Belgrade as an example of a school that successfully implements this example of a school that successfully implements this preventive campaign.preventive campaign.

3. CULTURE OF SPEAKING3. CULTURE OF SPEAKING• The project is designed as a continuation of the UNICEF The project is designed as a continuation of the UNICEF

project “Stop Violence Among Children”. (For a Safe and project “Stop Violence Among Children”. (For a Safe and Stimulating Environment in Schools)Stimulating Environment in Schools)

• Objective: Prevention of verbal violence among children, Objective: Prevention of verbal violence among children, promotion and adoption of normal and polite forms of promotion and adoption of normal and polite forms of communication and creation of better interpersonal communication and creation of better interpersonal relationships on all levels between all participants in the relationships on all levels between all participants in the educational process.educational process.

• Appropriate level of communication in the school is a Appropriate level of communication in the school is a guarantee of healthy atmosphere in which our children guarantee of healthy atmosphere in which our children will grow. will grow.

• The project places a special emphasis on supressing The project places a special emphasis on supressing negative forms of communication: profanity, threats, negative forms of communication: profanity, threats, mocking, vulgar words, insults and derogatory words mocking, vulgar words, insults and derogatory words which are, most often, a trigger for all forms of violence which are, most often, a trigger for all forms of violence among children. among children.

4. DIFFERENT PEOPLE ENRICH US4. DIFFERENT PEOPLE ENRICH US

• Increasing sensitization and tolerance for diversity among Increasing sensitization and tolerance for diversity among children.children.

• Creating a positive environment for successful integration Creating a positive environment for successful integration of persons with disabilities in social life. of persons with disabilities in social life.

• The project places a special emphasis on supressing The project places a special emphasis on supressing negative forms of communication: threats, mocking, negative forms of communication: threats, mocking, vulgar words,disparagement, insults, physical violence vulgar words,disparagement, insults, physical violence and all other forms of violence towards those who are and all other forms of violence towards those who are different. different.

• Training of teachers and pupils for successful Training of teachers and pupils for successful communication and problem solving in school, classroom, communication and problem solving in school, classroom, family and society. family and society.

• Developing pupils’ social skills: conversation, empathy, Developing pupils’ social skills: conversation, empathy, active listening, appreciation and respect for diversity, active listening, appreciation and respect for diversity, peer support...peer support...

• We have visited the Center for rehabilitation of We have visited the Center for rehabilitation of mentally and physically challenged persons “MIR” in mentally and physically challenged persons “MIR” in RudineRudine

• And the Center Slava And the Center Slava RaškajRaškaj

Those projects have greatly improved the Those projects have greatly improved the general atmosphere in our school. general atmosphere in our school.

We believe it is crucially important to continue We believe it is crucially important to continue working in that direction because it working in that direction because it encourages improvement of personal, encourages improvement of personal, professional, social and developmental professional, social and developmental competenccompetenciies and skills of all the es and skills of all the participants in educational work through participants in educational work through international cooperation of the schools international cooperation of the schools involved in the project.involved in the project.

• It’s a lofty mission of our and any other It’s a lofty mission of our and any other school as the role of a teacher is precius in school as the role of a teacher is precius in any society. any society.

• As lighthouses to children in their growing As lighthouses to children in their growing up, we are called daily to grow in up, we are called daily to grow in humanity, well-being, truth and knowledge.humanity, well-being, truth and knowledge.