METHODOLOGY FOR TEACHING THE COURSE:
“BASIC KNOWLEDGE ON SAFE LIFE ACTIVITIES BASIS”
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS
A N N O T A T I O N
“It is the common belief that the culture of safety and resilience should start from early years of life and continue throughout school years”.
The main challenge is to find the right way to reach the children.
THE FORMAL TEACHING REMAINS THE FIRST AND MAIN NATURAL WAY
TO REACH THE CHILDREN
1. Last ten years’ time an array of manuals and other materials targeted at awareness raising and involving all groups of population, especially children, in disaster preparedness and response were developed. They in line with recommendations and examples of good practice consider also issues and objectives in the field of awareness raising and involving children, which are left to be done (in particular, it has been mentioned that in fulfilling these tasks the main challenge is to find the right way to reach the children).
Below the given Annotation quotes concrete recommendations and proposals aimed to resolve some from the stated issues, in particular, those related to reaching the children through school teaching.
2. However, before coming to the issues in the field under consideration, that are subject to concretization, and to the recommendations and proposals on their resolution, it seems expedient, started with our ideas, to quote some of the goals and action priorities on the New Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, being set forth in details and highlighted in the “Medium Term Plan 2016-2020” of the Council of Europe’s European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement, being most permanent for Agreement and the pertinent ones for Armenia too.
2.1. Among the priorities of the section 1.“DR understanding”, highlighted in the Medium Term Plan, one needs to mention the priority in subsection f . “Promote public awareness through campaigns”.
At the same time, it should be noted, that the exceptionally important role of the preparedness and holding the regular “National and Municipal «Campaigns» on informing, awareness raising, acquisition and consolidation of adequate behavior skills and warning the population about emergencies” addresses not only the goal to promote public awareness, but also to perform in the best way possible all interlinked significant components, composing a united chain:
Ø Informing.
Ø Awareness raising.
Ø Acquisition and consolidation of adequate behavior skills.
Ø Warning the population.
Rather important is also the priority in the sub section d. “Disseminate good practices internationally”.
Among the priorities of section 4“Disaster Risk Reduction: preparedness, response and recovery” the priority of sub section h. “Training in disaster response” are highlighted.
It seems also expedient to mention some of the comments and proposals, adduced in the Medium Term Plan 2016-2020 regards the priorities of action in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) field, in particular:
“… to direct the Agreement’s energy to implement the more general applicable principles, such as development of the methodologies and identification of good practices.”
“…importance of knowledge in DRR and putting additional emphases on the human dimension (alongside the usual technicalities) of disaster management.
2.2. By taking into account all the significance of the provision of knowledge to enhanced awareness and preparation of all groups of population to promote effective actions in disaster risk reduction together with the resolution of the complex issues, essential in the above area, it is necessary to note, that these issues can be resolved in the most effective way provided, that has been developed a system based approach within the regularly functioning and upgraded systems aimed to inform , promote awareness, acquire and consolidate the adequate behavior skills and warn all groups of population.
The similar systems should be integrated into more general National disaster management systems, consistent with the Recommendations of the UN International Strategy on disaster risk reduction.
2.3. We share in general all key considerations of the Medium Term Plan’s project, demonstrated by the authors in the sub section “Children”, in particular: “…the role of future generations in mainstreaming DRR in day-by-day policies and decisions is essential”, as well as with the: “necessary to make great efforts to provide pertinent information to those futures citizens on hazards and risks and not solely on the local ones”.
Doubtless also is the thought that “… the main challenge is to find the right way to reach the children”.
However, we consider the thoughts demonstrated in the first paragraphs of the sections: “School curricular” and “non-formal and informal learning” need to be to a certain extent clarified and commented on.
Bearing that in mind we’ll give below the text of the mentioned paragraphs.
“The first natural way to reach children is through school teaching but no specific training on such topics is presently provided in schools: it would appear that only some references to natural phenomena in geography course and occasional speeches by civil protection /firemen have already been considered”.
“As in many countries a formal inclusion of a full curricular on DDR seems limited to inclusion of the already compiled training courses, the best alternative is to use non-formal or even informal training to reach the children”.
2.4. As a comment to the above set forth, first of all we would note, that the “non-formal and informal learning” can be a very useful supplementary tool for “reaching children”, however such learning cannot substitute or become the “alternative” to a “formal training”.
In this connection it is necessary to note, that among the basic rights, proclaimed by the “Charter of Basic Rights” of the European Union one of the most significant rights is the right to safety and security (in a section “Freedoms”) and the right to effective management in the section (“Rights of the citizens”).
Stable, sustainably functioning societies ensure their citizens the sufficient amount of safety, through limiting or preliminary mitigating to the extent possible the threatening risks, thus building and laying down the DRR culture in society (the culture of ensuring safe life activities).
The above said instills hope, that in the nearest years many countries will have due to this or that reason include the formal DRR courses in their school curricular.
One also can refer to the examples of good practice in the existed area in many countries, Armenia included.
At the same time, there is a need to quote also the following paragraph from the same section, namely:
“Despite the notable progress, much work is still left to be done, including incorporating DRR into the national programme of education and the national education curriculum.
The most important achievement of the programme however is the common belief, that the culture of safety and resilience should start from early years of life and continue throughout school years”.
3. As for the above DRR formal teaching course, supposed to be included into the school curricular, than it seems more correct to call the given course: “Basic knowledge on safe life activity basis” and it should cover not solely natural or man-made and ecological disasters.
3.1. The above mentioned course should mainstream also the risks of the events endangering children in their day-to-day life: at home, in the street, in school, in the city, in transport, on water, in the forest, mountains, social nets and etc. The inclusion of such everyday risks will serve, on the one hand, an essential supplementary grounds to include by relevant management authorities the formal course: “Basics in safe life activities” into school curricular; on the other hand - its aiming is to make children more interested and can be deemed to be one of the possible steps towards resolving a major challenge - finding the right way to the children.”
3.2. In what concerns the acquisition and consolidation by children of the adequate behavior skills in different emergency situations, which can be established in the both: day-by-day activity and as caused by natural and technological accidents, than the set goal will be resolved more effectively, provided that there has been developed a system based approach within the regularly functioning and upgraded systems, aimed to inform, promote awareness, acquire and consolidate the skills for adequate behavior and warn all groups of population, about which we have partly mentioned above (subsection 2.1. of this Annotation).
It is memorable, that one of the key elements of the regularly organized and held “National and Municipal «Campaigns» on informing, awareness raising and warning population about emergencies” lies in a wider support to «Campaigns» by schools, higher educational and other type institutions, hospitals, enterprises and establishments.
And one of the crucial stages of phase 1.“Planning” to such «Campaigns» is the project’s study, carried out in schools and other educational institutions (a review of actions by school administration, teaching staff, students and parents).
3.3. Thus, we would like to mention again, that the formal school teaching is the first and main natural way to reach the children, as well to build and foster the risk culture among a society.
The above stated supposes not solely the development of relevant thematic chapters of the above course, but also due to its specifics proposes the development of methodological materials to teach the given course.
4. In this connection a role and reasonability of the educational system for preparedness of the trainees on the issues, addressing safe livelihood strategy, construction of the culture of safe behavior and cultivation of healthy life activity skills have been enhanced.
The summarized experience in teaching the students to the basis of sciences demonstrates, that enabling a common approach to the students and identification of means and tools of teaching work requires from a teacher a sticking to the provisions, bearing, in a certain sense, a universal nature. These provisions are called didactic teaching principles.
The nowadays didactic considers the teaching principles as vital requirements to organization of a teaching process, its contest, forms and practices. These principles serve a guiding star in pedagogical work of a teacher.
Objectives of the methodology for teaching the course.
To orient a teacher to the fact, that the outcome of a learning of the course of “Basic knowledge on safe life activity basis” should be a building in the trainees of a mentality about the need to be involved into the culture of safe life activity basis, fostering foreseeing potential risks, demonstration safe behavior patterns in everyday life, consideration to oneself and to the others and undertaking correct actions in emergencies.
No doubt, the course “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis”, shapes a character, promotes cultivating in students a strong sense of responsibility and tolerance. The main objective of this course remains teaching a person to behave rationally in complex situations.
It is the productivity of the methodology for teaching this course, that quality of mustering skills on survival issues acquired by the students will rely on.
5. A final version of the Methodology for teaching the course “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis” for public school teachers was developed in 2017, drawn on studying of the rich international experience acquired in the mentioned area by given the above course teaching specifics.
However, before coming to commenting on the particular results obtained within the framework of the Methodology, it seems expedient to state the following brief considerations.
5.1. Informing and awareness of the children, in all their significance, are not the end in itself and can be effective in DRR, provided that children have acquired and consolidated the skills of adequate behavior in different emergency situations, which may establish in the both: day-by day activity and as caused by natural, man-made and ecological trigger.
The above stated supposes not solely the development of relevant thematic chapters of the above course, but also due to its specifics proposes the development of methodological materials to teach the given course.
There is a need to note here, that there are an array of educational training manuals, addressing the above venue that contain the brief methodological guidelines on teaching the particular course, partially included into the “Introduction” of the correspondent concrete (local) courses.
The developed and proposed by us Methodology is assigned for public school teachers as a universal methodological manual for teaching the above wide spectrum course “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis” in general, by given the specifics of teaching this course for different age target groups of students.
5.2. The “Methodology” gives teachers a lead to the results in the teaching the course “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis”, that are aimed at the formation in the students of mentality on safe life activities related subjects, enabling to foreseen the approaching danger, show consideration for themselves and those in the surrounding, demonstrate safe behaviors in day-to day- life, as well as to acquire and muster adequate correct risk safe behavior patterns in different emergency situations, which may be established in both: day-by-day activity and as caused by natural man-made and ecological disaster triggers).
5.3. The paper, by given the specifics of the above course and its role in the general education, quotes the principles determining the general venues in the teaching process, its character, a basis for teaching activity of the teacher in running this course and his/her mastery in the creation of cognitive activities in the students. These didactic principles being interlinked and mutually reinforced in the educational system lays the grounds for the Methodology of teaching the course “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis”.
The Methodology reveals in details the content of each particular principle.
5.4. It is natural, that a lesson as a sophisticated pedagogical complex, occupying an important position in this methodology, requires from the teacher the correct determination of a role, played by the lesson in a general educational system while teaching the above course, the teacher’s ability to make students motivated to realized the course set targets.
It is well known, that each good lesson contains three compounds: condition, strategy and content.
Ø Condition creates correct motivation for teaching.
Ø Strategy determines a style or a tool in providing information.
Ø Content is a subject of teaching.
By given the course specifics, there are given the most productive teaching tools employed in running lesson. In particular, there are considered in details the methods of group teaching, splitting the class form into different groups and teaching the students on acquisition and mustering of knowledge via group analyses and discussions of information through the use of both: formal and informal information sources, including the Internet.
In order to support an interest in children to the subject one needs to employ interesting, nonstandard practices of teaching and forms of control. Such lessons include a lesson-lecture, a lesson-competition, discussion, a lesson-conference, a workshop, an excursion, relay knowledge, performance, a test …
5.5. The course under consideration has its independent essence and its integral components on all without exception subjects, drawn on the correlated inter-subject knowledge system and suppose world outlook, moral, legal, psychological, physical, ecological, aesthetic, polytechnic and medical preparedness.
Practical sessions should include observation reflect the theoretical issues and a need in acquisition of new knowledge and actions. The theoretical lessons should largely incorporate the practical materials in order the students will be able to recognize the meaning of the given theoretical knowledge.
The methodology for teaching this course initiates a teacher to be a leader, an organizer of the student’s activity. The teacher should take the lead in applying creatively by the students of theoretical knowledge and practical skills at the lessons, by bearing in mind that a student can learn how to do something or how to muster a skill only if he or she has already adequate practical experience of doing it or has mustered relevant behavior skills.
Such attitude to distribution of work by a teacher and a student in a teaching process – an individual activity of students and monitoring this activity by the teacher – is expediently necessary.
A student can learn to do something, if he/she does it – which is the basic principle of teaching to basic knowledge on safe life activities basis
The above stated highlights again, that formal school teaching is an initial and main, being mostly natural and effective way in searching the correct approach towards children to teach them basic knowledge on safe life activities basis, and thereby to build and enhanced culture of risk management in a society, as well as all the necessity to develop a universal methodology for teaching the course “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis” in general, by given the specifics of teaching this course for different age target groups of students.
5.6. By summarizing we would like to mention once more, that within the present project ECRM in 2017 developed a final version of the Methodology for teaching the course: “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis” for public school teachers. The description of the goals and objectives together with the paper’s brief contest and its key elements, principles, methods and tools of teaching the course, as well as the issues arose while the development process, are given in the Annotation, included into the Methodology preceding its main contest.
Apart from further deepening and upgrading the project, drawn on the attraction of new materials, viewing relevant comments and suggestions to the preliminary version of the Methodology, were identified the ways and design the tools for resolving the issues, revealed in the performance of the development of the given preliminary version.
However, during the discussion the final version of the Methodology with experts, we became convinced, that in order to increase the effectiveness in teaching the course: “Basic knowledge on safe life activities basis” for public school teachers it seems expedient to enclose to the Methodology as a separate chapter some examples of good practice in using the proposed teaching methods applicable for at least one age target groups of students adjusted to a concrete course thematic (which is in principle a prerogative of teachers).
As a practical example, based on didactic teaching principals, there is being demonstrated in detail sequential application of teaching methods for last year students on the topic: “Earthquake risk reduction: informing, awareness raising, acquisition and consolidation adequate behavior skills before, during and after earthquakes.
6. Informing and awareness of the children, in all their significance, are not the end in itself and can be effective in DRR, provided that children have acquired and consolidated the skills of adequate behavior in different emergency situations, which may establish in the both: day-by-day activity and as caused by natural, man-made and technological trigger.
6.1. However, children due to their fragile, not sustainable mentality and in the situation when the sufficient experience is lacking: in an emergency situation or under stress not seldom may be found to be at a loss and fail to evaluate the situation correctly, being unable rapidly and according to the situation established to demonstrate and apply on practice the acquired adequate behavior skills.
In parallel with teaching the basics in safe life activities, children need also to be taught the basics in extreme psychology, which knowledge will allow them to feel more confident in the circumstances, entailing stress following the emergency situation, will enable them to evaluate the established situation correctly and to be sure in the undertaken actions by rapid and accurate practicing of the acquired adequate behavior skills.
The teaching and acquisition of knowledge on basics in extreme psychology by people due to universality of practicing it in different life situations will be considered by children rather interesting and the mustering by the future citizens of the basics in extreme psychology will have a vital importance for both: level of culture in risk management in society and management culture in general.
The development of the course “Basics in extreme psychology” perhaps as a special section of a wider course: “Basics in safe life activities” is another step towards searching the right way to reach the children and towards building and fostering risk culture among a society.
6.2. The main target of the Manual on the “Basics in Extreme Psychology” is:
Ø to serve a universal Manual on training in cultivating an emotional- will self -regulation method in vast layers of the population, including, primarily, school children, students, as well as rescuers, volunteers and other specialists.
Ø to format and cultivate in children (rescuers, adults and other groups of population) the skills of retaining self-control.
Ø to teach, by giving correct assessment of the ongoing consolidation of the skills, to make adequate decisions which is realistic only if this condition is met.
The Manual will present some psychological aspects towards survival in emergencies. It is mainly targeted to cultivate in people, especially in children some personal performances required to successfully combat critical situations, to raise faith and develop the skills, enabling the maximum use of opportunities in times of a temporal lack of help in order to overcome any severe handicaps and emergency related dangers.
It also can serve a Manual assigned for the use of teachers, students and parents, rescuers, peacekeepers, volunteers involved into intervention of a first psychological aid in communities; as well as for specialists engaged into emergency response; for all those who wish to improve their psychological abilities in order to survive in emergencies.
6.3. In the last section of this paper is given a brief description of a preliminary version of teaching Manual on the “Basics in Extreme Psychology”.