3 minute read
Case Study 1: “MOT”
by Theilgaard
CASE STUDY 1 CASE STUDY 1 CASE STUDY 1
MOT
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Description
In 2002 the first nationwide student survey came in Norway. This is an annual survey in which students voice their opinion concerning learning and well-being in school.
The responses are used by the schools, the municipality and the state to improve education in Norwegian schools.
The results from the first student survey in 2002 showed in our opinion too high numbers regarding bullying. When we became acquainted to MOT and their programme, we found out that this was something we wanted to introduce to our school.
MOT and their ideas fit well with the school's educational platform. This builds on the consequence pedagogy. This pedagogy is based on a view of humanity that believes that the student may choose to do something else tomorrow, if he or she did something stupid today. We want to help students with their social learning as much as academic learning. We try to do this without being moralizing because we want students to make their own choices and take responsibility for their actions.
MOT on Haugaland
Haugaland has educated approximately 10 MOT coaches from the staff. These coaches visits the all the classes in school four times a year. This is the most important part of the MOT program.
These MOT sessions, based on highly regarded behavioral theories, draw on methodologies of interactive group discussions, practical exercises, games, roleplaying, experiential stories and self-reflection, attitudes and thought patterns.
Students in first year has four visits and the students in the second year has two visits.
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The first visit is at the very start of the school year and then we'll spread them throughout the year.
In November every year we celebrate the “Courage to enjoy-day”. All the students spend a day to help and encourage others, often people they don’t know.
In March, we have a week called “the week of dreams”. Students write down a dream they have and we try to fulfill some of them.
We also have had visits from “the MOT tour” twice. Well-known artists perform at our school and some of our own students also participate and perform at the concert.
It is important that the staff involves in the MOTwork. We have several MOT-sessions for the entire staff, as well as our MOT coaches go to various conferences.
At all school events, such as summer and Christmas endings, we have performances from students that has been involved in MOT.
Conclusion
After implementing MOT at our school, the bullying has decreased. Many students say that MOT is helping them in making good decisions for themselves. As a result of this, the school has decided to increase the MOT-programme at Haugaland.
For the next 3 years we will join a new programme from MOT called “MOT as a community-builder”. In the new programme, which all our staff will take part in, we will make sure that the school culture includes all our students. We will increase the number of visits that our coaches have to each class. During a two-year-period the number of visits go from six to twelve in every class.
Students that has been engaged in MOT say that they have the MOT values with them when they make different choices and that they stand up for others in the classroom.
They say that they feel more secure and that they are able to say no to things that are bad for them.
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