“The contribution of school space in the formation of ‘place identity’ of the child as eco-semiological bridge between

individual and society-from the local to the global community”

Sevasti Apostolou & Konstantinos SachinidisDepartment of Science of Preschool Education

and Educational Planning , University of AegeanRhodes, Greece, 2014

Place Identity, Place Attachment and The school space as a systemPlace Identity: as a component of self-identity, it constitutes

the entire cognitive-emotional context of our behavior in relation to space

Place Attachment: refers to the fact that the place brings all our experiences through which we attach emotionally to it (emotional bond with the place)

Characteristics of the system :organizing (subsystems)size (scale) (Bronfenbrenner, 1979)form (on-off)structures (material non-material)functions (preservation)change (change-progress)Structures: social (living potential) and material (material

element) structure-interdependence (Vayer, 1991)

Aim of the researchThis research project aims to:study the concepts of 'place identity‘, 'place attachment' and ‘sense of

community’, as emerging entities in the social system of the school through transformative processes (participatory action) in the context of interaction among place (ecology), culture and behavior (appropriation and emotional attachment)

bring out the role of school space in the shaping of 'place identity' of the child through the process of emotional bond with the school environment and to emphasize its importance to the flourishing of the positive side of 'localism' or else of love and the bond to a place

convey the vision of the school space as eco-semantic bridge between the local society and the individual and as the 'common ground' between individuals of the ecumenical community with different socio-demographic characteristics for the harmonious coexistence of different morals, languages , cultures within the current 'home' both on a local as well as on a global scale

Hypothesis-Research questionWe consider that the shaping of 'place identity' of the child in

the school community is the 'conceptual bridge' for the development of the emotional bond with his or her wider local community

The hypothesis is that through actions of appropriation of school space can be cultivated the emotional attachment to the wider local community, of which the school community is an integral part, and so the school space to operate as eco-semiological bridge between the individual and the local society

To what extent participatory action (principal, teachers, pupils, parents and local community) in the school community contributes to the emotional attachment of the child to the wider local community?

Sub research questionsWhat features exhibit educators as employees of the school

unit and as residents of the local society?What features exhibit pupils-metics from abroad and

within the country?What differences exhibit pupils-metics compared with

pupils-indigenous of the local society?What characteristics as criteria exhibit programs

consolidating emotional bond with the school community and the local society for transit pupils and educators?

What differences exhibit the 'transit' educators compared to 'non-transit' educators as to their contribution in shaping the emotional bond of 'transit' pupils with the school community and the local society?

MethodResearch technique: Structured interview-

accompanying answer sheet for closed questions

Technique of analysis: interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)

MethodSchedule of questions-data concerning: the teacher as an employee and as a residentpupils as metics (change residence) from abroad and metics

within the country of residencetheir disputes with pupils-permanent residents of the local

communityconducting programs to consolidate the emotional bond of

metics-pupils with the school community and the local societythe description of these programs and their specific

characteristics, such as interconnectedness and institutional support

differences between 'transit' and 'non transit' teachers as to their contribution in facilitating the emotional bond of metics-pupils with the school community and the local society

Procedure-participantsCase study of primary school education unit in a

village in the southern part of the island of Rhodes

10 participants-members of teaching staff of the school unit

Individual interviews with the principal and the teachers of the school unit

Data collection-in person visit to the school unit

Results-master themesCharacteristics of educator as an employeeCharacteristics of educator as a residentCharacteristics of metics-pupils from abroadCharacteristics of metics-pupils within the countryDifferences of metics-pupils and the indigenous-pupils of the local

societyConduct of programs consolidating emotional bond with the placeContent of appropriation programs for metics-pupils with the

local societyCharacteristics of implementation of programs for appropriation

with the local societyContribution of educator in shaping the pupil’s emotional bond

with the community

Results-subthemes-educatorsCharacteristics of educator as an employee: service

in the school unit, specialty, service on the island, type of employment contract

Characteristics of educator as a resident: type of residence on the island, hailing from the island, staying on the island, staying in the spatial zone of the school unit, type of ownership of residence, relationship with the local society

Contribution of educator in shaping the pupil’s emotional bond with the community: contribution difference between 'transit' and 'not transit' educators, reasons of differentiation between them

Subthemes-pupilsCharacteristics of metics-pupils from abroad: ratio of

their population to all members of the class, grade of class teaching, their studies since first grade of primary school on the island or in the present school unit

Characteristics of metics-pupils within the country: their presence in the classroom, the classroom population, their studies since the first grade of primary school on the island or in the present school unit

Differences of metics-pupils and the indigenous-pupils of the local society: there is a difference between metics and indigenous, reasons for diversification, differentiation criteria

Subthemes-programs Conduct of programs consolidating emotional bond with the

place: conducting programs, time of conducting programsContent of appropriation programs of metics-pupils with the

local society: at the school level, at the level of classroomCharacteristics of implementation of programs for

appropriation with the local society: interconnectedness of programs at administrative and pedagogical work, reasons of interlocking, institutional support of programs and freedom of choice at the administrative and pedagogical duties, reasons of support by institution or within the school unit, combination of institutional support of programs and their implementation at the level of administrative and pedagogical tasks

Results-Characteristics of educator as employeeThe majority of educators serve a few years

in the school unitAll of them belong to the field of teachersThe majority of educators serve a few years

in the island of RhodesThe majority of educators are permanent

Characteristics of educator as resident Slightly more than half of educators are permanent

residents of the islandMost do not originate in the islandThe majority live on the island a few yearsSlightly more than half do not live on the spatial zone

of the school unitSlightly more than half rent the dwelling stayingRegarding their relation with the local community, this

is shaped in equal proportion, for some as only social, for some as only personal, for some as personal and social, and for some as personal, social and professional

Characteristics of metics-pupils within the countryIn more than half of the teaching classes

metics-pupils within the country attendThe general population ranges between 1-4

individuals in teaching classes, therefore far fewer than the percentage of metics-pupils from abroad attending the same classrooms

It appears that by the metics-pupils within the country attending the teaching classes concerned, most attended the 1st grade of primary school in the present school unit

Characteristics of metics-pupils from overseasIn more than half classrooms the ratio of

metics-pupils from abroad to the total of pupils in class is ½

In the sample all the classrooms of the primary school were represented, most classrooms were of the upper grades

In most teaching classes metics-pupils from abroad attended the 1st grade of primary school in the present school unit

Differences between metics-pupils and the indigenous ones of local societyMost educators report that there are differences between

metics-pupils and indigenous-pupilsThose who do not report differences among the above pupils

attribute this to factors such as multiannual stay of metics and the familiarity with the phenomenon of relocation

In case discrepancies are found among the pupils, they are due to factors such as the process of adapting and integrating, the recent arrival, the individual behavioral and personality traits, the ethnicity and the socio-cultural context of origin

Of the educators that mention differences among the pupils, it is found that those differences relate to only social interaction, to cognitive skills and social interaction, and to the adequacy of language knowledge and the psychosocial family environment

Conducting programs for consolidating emotional bond with the placeThe majority of the educators report that

programs for the development of emotional bond with the place are carried out

In most cases these programs are carried out during the school year

Content of programs for the appropriation of metics-pupils with the local communityAt the level of school unit the content of

programs regards issues such as:highlighting the cultural element through social

gatherings, writing samples and Laography (suggested by half of the educators)

preparatory, integration classes, parental counseling and collaboration between school and cultural association

‘diversity’ and ‘place’ through a program with social, environmental and cultural dimensions and interface with other places

Content of programs for the appropriation of metics-pupils with the local community At the level of school classroom the content of programs regards issues such

as: development of social network with parents’ involvement in thematic actions cultivation of culture through arts and literature highlighting the cultural element through social gatherings and production

of educational material education in acceptance of diversity through alternative pedagogical

teaching methods project of acquaintance with the place, the local society, the history and

Laography, pupil counseling and program of engaging pupils to the integration process

self consciousness of place identity and cultural identity, interface of cultural elements through samples of Laography

project in team collaboration and interface of cultures and places through the seeking of common cultural elements in the context of Laography

structuring-promoting profile of the countries of origin

Characteristics of program implementation for the appropriation to the local community All educators mentioned that programs for the development of emotional bond

with the place should be interrelated, namely those planned at the school unit level and at the school classroom level

The reasons for their interrelation concern the efficacy of actions, the broader acceptance and the positive self esteem of children, the social cohesion, the collegiality and the teamwork in the school community, the communication, the collaboration and the solidarity among the members of the teaching staff

Regarding the institutional support of these programs all educators agree on this

Yet nearly half of them refer only to the institutional support The rest note that carrying out such programs depends on the combination of

the institutional support and their implementation at administrative and pedagogical level in the school unit at the initiative of participants

The reasons considered as necessary the inside school support of them concern an inadequate and incomplete institutional provision for planning, the differentiation of human / pupil dynamic among the school units and the optional and non obligatory character of program implementation

Contribution of educator in shaping the pupil’s emotional bond with the school and local community

The majority of educators reports that there is a difference among 'transit' and 'non transit‘ teachers in facilitating the appropriation of metics-pupils to the school community and the local society

However are noted, in an attempt to mitigate the difference, the linkage of appropriation to the school community with the existence of a stable teaching staff in the school unit and the argument that in case of planning the appropriation as a common educational objective of the teachers' association, there is no question of dispute in the effectiveness of the action

The reasons of diversification among 'transit' and 'non-transit‘ educators relate to factors, such as personal adjustment, short stay, distrust from the local community, the discontinuity in the actions, the non-time investment, the desire to return to their homeland, the aversion of integrating in the present place of residence, the non-interest about the culture of the place, the negative correlation of the appropriation with the feeling of temporary, the non-emotional involvement, commitment and identification with the place by the 'transits‘

It is noted that the 'non-transit' teachers are more effective in managing the integration of metics-pupils due to the absence of the challenge of personal adjustment and the inspiration of familiarity to the children

Overall conclusions-culture versus place?as a key reference for the program planning is the cultural

elementthe reference to the place element is underrepresentedthe school space is not mentioned on the use in terms of

environmental conditions that may give opportunity to the children for actions relating to it (preparation, reconstruction, maintenance), which will contribute to the appropriation initially to the school space through nonverbal forms of space use (territoriality, personal space, privacy)

emphasis is placed on the different cultural element as a positive point of attention, however, is stressed the point of differentiation among members (in spite of the seeking common) and the attention is shifting from the place to the individual

Overall conclusions-a ‘bridge’ towards creating new roots

the metics do not disclaim their cultural identity, however, they need to create new roots and solely the acceptance of their cultural identity by others is not sufficient in the process of the development of the emotional bond with the new place of residence

is therefore necessary a semiological bridge that will unite them to the particular place initially and subsequently will create the basis for the forming of social ties with the rest of the community

the social ties with the community require some context and initially this context apart from the people (community), the purpose (action, appropriation) and the time (systematically and consistently), is shaped by the space as well, initially by the space of school and then by the place that the school space belongs to

Overall conclusions-the match point between individual and local communitythe completion of the process of the emotional bonding

with the local community is not just about the acceptance of different cultural identity, but about finding a common code, a common language, a 'common ground', and none other than the school space can be a match point with both the place and the local community

the connection with the local community passes through the place and the relationship with the school space (appropriation), which is a key element with which the child has a systematic and close interaction, a suitable condition for creating appropriation

Overall conclusions-interdisciplinary directionit is striking that no mention was made in concerning oneself with

the school space, although the physical environment of the school gives to the child evidence for the location, the history, the culture, the climatic / environmental conditions through the architectural design

the procedure of emotional attachment to the place is a continuous process

it was observed more preoccupation with the idea of tolerance of cultural diversity and less with the tangible material element which nevertheless forms the environmental perception and attitude through the apperceptions

is needed interdisciplinary in the programs and besides getting to know a place it is essential to address the preoccupation with, the involvement, so that commitment to be obtained

Our suggestion

Place Identit

y as bond

School space

as context

Programs as

direction

Educator as

contact

Child as origin

Proposals for further research Participation of additional educational units in the research project

presenting high population rate with demographic moving, whether it concerns the pupils or the educators

Conducting action research, which will be completed in three stages: a) the identification of field concerning the conditions prevailing in each school unit as regards to the conducting programs for the development of emotional attachment to the place, b) the implementation of programs per se towards this direction and c) the evaluation of the effectiveness of these programs

Particularly at the stage of programs implementation can be two experimental conditions for implementation of actions, a condition during which the program will be designed with some standard criteria and a condition during which the program will be designed freely

Accordingly will be feasible a comparative study between the two categories which may result in substantial feedback to the participants in the implementation of programs and in shaping more drastically attitudes and perceptions regarding this particular topic

AcknowledgementsThank you all for attending our research work! Our research teamSevasti Apostolou, Substitute Psychologist in

Special Education, Dr University of AegeanKonstantinos Sachinidis, Teacher, Principal of

Primary School of Lardos, Rhodes

Thank you the Department of Sciences of Preschool Education and Educational Planning, School of Human Sciences, University of Aegean, Rhodes, Greece for the beautiful ‘journey’ during the years of my doctoral research

Dr S.A. Apostolou