Over a hundred 4th and 5th grade classes receive support for social and emotional skills in Espoo

– Wellbeing skills are part of the national curriculum and are taught in Espoo’s primary schools. Thanks to this project, even more children in Espoo will now have access to wellbeing education, as the teaching is no longer solely dependent on individual schools or teachers, says Laura-Kaisa Kalmi, former Principal of Mikkelä school.

Practices for teaching wellbeing skills vary between schools in Espoo. Some schools offer dedicated lessons focused on wellbeing and community building, while in others, these skills are integrated in the teaching of other subjects.

A total of 25 schools applied to join the three-year project aiming at the social strengthening for children, which is funded by the Espoo Parish Union with €1,070,000. In these schools, project educators will co-teach wellbeing-focused lessons and organize camp center days, together with the regular classroom teachers. The teaching materials and lesson plans are freely available to all schools.

– Pupils have especially enjoyed the camp center days, where they can get to know their classmates in a different environment. Feedback collected from teachers in the spring has been very positive. Some have already noticed improvements in the class atmosphere, says project worker Kati Aitkoski.

Wellbeing skills strengthen sense of community and welfare

The Luokka loistamaan project, co-designed by the City of Espoo Growth and learning sector and the Espoo Parish Union, aims to strengthen a sense of community in schools, support the pupils’ wellbeing, and prevent social exclusion.

– There’s a significant variation in children's wellbeing. Most children are doing well according to research, but a growing number face multiple challenges, Aitkoski notes.

Aurora Bergroth, a 4th grade teacher at Matinlahti school, has been involved with the project since January. In her class, pupils have practiced identifying and naming emotions, developing emotion regulation skills, and reflecting on wellbeing habits such as rest and calming down.

– Most pupils can name basic emotions like joy, sadness, fear, and anger. However, the extent of their emotional vocabulary varies depending on whether Finnish is spoken at home or if emotions are discussed in the family, says Bergroth.

According to Bergroth, teaching has provided children with additional tools for interaction and emotional expression. Pupils have been motivated to participate, even though the topics are unfamiliar to some.

– For some children, the topics are difficult or not so familiar. When asked to turn inward and reflect on emotions like fear or shame, some pupils have started joking around, turned away, or in some cases, even walked out of the room.

The lessons place a strong emphasis on creating a safe and calm atmosphere. Pupils have already begun trying out emotion regulation techniques both at school and at home, in their free time.

– One of my pupils said they started using a fist-clenching technique during football practice. Alternating between clenching and relaxing the fist can shift focus away from inner emotional turmoil, Bergroth explains.

Also during lessons and recess, in situations where emotions run high, the class has been able to reflect together on practical strategies for managing such situations in the future.

Teaching social and emotional skills alone won’t solve inequality in wellbeing

The Luokka loistamaan project is a preventative effort. By investing in a sense of community, the goal is to strengthen the pupils’ connection to school well before they move on to secondary school.

– When we focus on the good, it’s been shown to boost joy and wellbeing. Through our teaching, we reinforce the sense of community and the hope and joy that already exist in schools, Aitkoski summarizes.

Kalmi, Aitkoski, and Bergroth emphasize that wellbeing education alone cannot solve the unequal distribution of wellbeing among children.

– Wellbeing education in schools plays an important role. But on its own, it cannot resolve deeper social inequality or inherited disadvantage. These are major societal issues that require both poverty reduction and broader co-operation, Bergroth states.

The project is carried out in cooperation with a wide network of partners. Together, they are developing comprehensive models to promote the wellbeing of children and youth. Key content development partners include MIELI Mental Health Finland, SOS Children's Village, and the Centre for Children and Youth (Lasten ja Nuorten Keskus).

Luokka loistamaan – Project Summary

Luokka loistamaan is a social empowerment project for children. Its’ goal is to support the social skills of 4th and 5th graders in Espoo and to promote a sense of community and wellbeing.

• This cooperation project between the City of Espoo Growth and learning sector and the Espoo Parish Union runs from 2024 to 2027. The project is integrated into the school day and delivered through collaboration between classroom teachers and the project staff.

• The educators involved in the project are experienced professionals in education and child development.

• The instruction is non-religious, non-denominational, and politically neutral — suitable for all pupils. The content is fully aligned with Finland’s national core curriculum for basic education.

• A total of 25 primary schools in Espoo are participating. A full list of schools is available at: luokkaloistamaan.fi.

• The project is funded and implemented by the Evangelical Lutheran Parish Union of Espoo.