Tsipi keidar healing environments 03-2013

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

2013The Arch of Arts in Health The Technion Haifa Israel.

DESIGNING RESTROOMS IN AN ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL: ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELLBEINGSCHOOL: ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Dr. Tsipi Keidar

E-Mail: [email protected]

1

Description of the Problem

The very fact that the restrooms are secluded

means that they constitute an unsafe environment.

The appearance of the restrooms was not

aesthetic or inviting. The students’ functioning was

negatively affected by the state of the restrooms:

Physically: Many pupils reported suffering from

constipation, stomach aches, headaches and

inability to concentrate on their studies.

Mentally: Pupils reported that they felt

unprotected, lacked confidence, or felt

“I don’t like the restrooms …so I don’t use them, my tummy

often hurts and sometimes my head” (Sophie, Year 3).

Dr.Tsipi Keidar-2013 2

unprotected, lacked confidence, or felt

embarrassment, fear or vulnerability when using

the restrooms.

Socially: They feared that their privacy would be

breached and they would endure ridicule, teasing,

bullying and even violence in the rest rooms.

“The restrooms are unpleasant, we’re afraid they

will peep at us, there’s no rules there and other

kids make it dirty and block the toilets with paper

and spray water – I restrain myself and don’t go

there” (Ran, Year 4, Focus Group member)

The research investigated:

� How to activate pupils’ motivation to change their

structural/physical environment through arts projects.

The purpose of the project was to make therestrooms accessible and attractive to all pupils sothat they could feel comfortable and safe whenusing the restrooms.


structural/physical environment through arts projects.

� How to transform the elementary school restrooms into a

healing environment for pupils, to improve their sense of

physical, mental and social wellbeing and create an

optimal school climate.

The project’s programme employed a systemic operational strategy.

•To create an instant and effective change the project was limited to a

predetermined time frame of only one school day.

•Works of each and every one of the school’s pupils were included in

the project.

The Art Project


the project.

•One group of pupils underwent a special training programme and

became agents of change. They led and mediated the process of

creativity and change for all the school’s pupils.

•The agents of change were responsible for the final decoration of the

restrooms and ensured that the artwork of each pupil would be

represented in the final project.

Standards of the art

1. Provide personal

expression,leaving a

mark

6Change in the school climate

2Strengthening

Social Involvement

STANDARDS OF THE ART PROJECTThe principles of the program

• Implementation of the

programme for the entire

school

• Preparation of a group of

agents of change: involved

pupils who will lead the project

through a special training

Standards of the arts project

Provide personal expression,leaving a

mark

An improved school climate

StrengtheningSocial

Involvement

the art project

(intervention plan)

5Ownership & responsibility

by the Children

4

Solution for children with special needs

3Esthetic physical

environment

through a special training

programme

• Integration of the model as part

of the children’s regular work

and social contribution to the

school community

• The project is based on the

mediation of knowledge

5

project (intervention

plan)

The children assume

Ownership & Responsibility

Solution for children with special needs

Aestheticphysical

environment

Dr.Tsipi Keidar-2013

A group of pupils was trained to

act as Agents of Change to lead

and to mediate the art project

for the entire school community.

6Dr.Tsipi Keidar-2013

Mapping of needs by the agents of

change revealed an urgent need

to improve the neglected school

restrooms

Pupils were selected and trained as agents of change to

mediate an art project applied as a tool for an

educational intervention programme. The agents of

change were derived from the general pupil population

Agents of change


change were derived from the general pupil population

of the school and they mediated the theoretical and

practical knowledge, reflecting the realisation of their

inherent potential to all the school's pupils at the

individual and community levels.

Writing our

own rules

Results of the Project

Restroom rules

1.It is forbidden to open the door,

interfere or peek inside

2.After you do your business please

flush the toilet

3.After washing your hands please

close the tap and throw the paper

towel in the bin

4.Don’t waste water, soap or paper

5.Use the signs on the door: Vacant –

when I leave; Occupied – when I’m

inside 8


The teacher in Year 2 said that every 5 minutes children wanted to go to the toilet … suddenly everyone needed

the restrooms.(Researcher’s diary)

“Now the restrooms look like a museum of children’s

artworks. Its nice to be there. I just hope they won’t be harmed. (Mia, Year 5 – Agent of change)

A Healing Environment

9

of change)


“I’m glad to see the children from

Year 1 using the restrooms.

They love to use them. Now it is a

safe and very popular place”.

(Adam Agent of change, Year 6).

Keep the

restroom

clean

Respect your friend10Dr.Tsipi Keidar-2013

“The children now return from the restrooms relaxed. The fact that they don’t have to restrain themselves any longer contributes to their inner peace and their concentration is better “(Ruth Class Teacher Year 4)


“[Today] the children are motivated to use the

restroom it now improves their sense of physical

wellbeing.”(Researcher’s diary)

Respect your

friend


occupied

279

Love, friendship, honor, serenity, peace.

“Now its fun to go in there. There are signs on each door and there are rules for the restrooms My painting is hung up there. Its fun to go to the toilets” (Sheli, Year 4)


“All the children’s works were hung up

inside the restrooms. Now everyone

could go in there without fearing that

someone would peep in on them. I also

go there. I don’t need to restrain myself

any more and that means I can

concentrate better on my studies. We

take it in turns to guard the restrooms so

that no-one spoils them”.that no-one spoils them”.

(Ziv -focus group, Year 5)


"The school needs to

connect the children one to

another so that they will

respect each other – just like

we know happens with the

art project for the restrooms,

so that they feel safe” (Zviya,

Focus Group Year 5)


Respect your friend as you respect yourself

“My friends and I like to go to the restrooms

…its pretty there. My mother came to see

my work in the restroom and told me it was

very beautiful...”

(Noa, Year 2)

“The pupils talk about the restrooms and bring their families to see their work. I saw Yossi from Year 3 there today, he was showing his work to his mother and younger brother. Something that had been a school taboo has become legitimate and natural and a source of pride” (Researcher’s diary).


Internally Attentive

Social

Involvement

Freedom

Wellbeing

BelongngEmotion

Performance

Aspects and Dimensionsthat support personal wellbeing

17

CapabilityAutonomy

Thinking

Dimension a domain through which it is possible to

measure the degree of activation of motivation.

Aspect - reflects the concrete expression of the dimensions in the individual’s performance during the process of the Intervention Program.


Findings

The sense of belonging to the school community grew as a result of pupils’

participation in the art project to redecorate the restrooms, because of their very

participation in the creation of change and the fact that they left their personal

mark.

The school has the ability to allow the pupils’ to achieve personal physical and


mental wellbeing both as individuals and as a community. This was expressed by

identifying the most problematic locations in the school buildings and acting to alter

them through the pupils’ work.

The agents of change succeeded in producing a healing environment by the very

fact that they mediated the process of creating the change in the school restrooms

with the school’s pupils.

The First Conclusion: although the art projects constituted an

intervening factor for the creation of change, the active factor within

the art projects was the agent of change.

Conclusions regarding the Activation of Motivation for

change through the Art Projects


The Second Conclusion. The activation of motivation can only

happen when an outside intervening factor (stimulus) appears that is

considered relevant by the individual, group or community; then a

response is aroused.

Art presents an alternative - another

way of thinking, another lifestyle,


another way to exist in the world.

Elliot Eisner (2001).

Eisner, E.W.(2001).Should We Create New Aims for Art Education?, Art Education, Sept., 6-10

Tsipi keidar healing environments 03-2013

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