Emotionally based school avoiders, and how they've been using AV1
Although AV1 was originally designed for children with physiological conditions in mind, it is increasingly being used by emotionally based school avoiders, and having some incredible results.
The UK: ‘Ben’ fully returned to school after using AV1
‘Ben’ had been engaged in school for 3 years, but then started disengaging and suffering from anxiety. After nearly 4 months of total school avoidance, his school, through London Grid For Learning, provided him with an AV1 robot. Ben used AV1 for 4 weeks and then fully returned to school. The school describes AV1 as the trigger for his return:
- Kirsten Roy, St Richard Reynolds Catholic CollegeThe pupil fully returned to school and has a near perfect attendance record (after having refused to come for 4 months) so that is a great success story. He is now sitting his mock GCSE’s and is doing brilliantly.
Contact information: If you want more information, Learning support leader, Kirsten Roy at St Richard Reynolds Catholic College would be happy to answer your questions ( phone: +44 020 8325 4630).
The Netherlands: Student, 9 years old, reintegrated back in regular education
Breda municipality in the Netherlands has tested six AV1s with children with various diagnoses and has concluded that AV1 can fit any individual situation. Amongst other Breda can tell that one student who could not go to school as a consequence of a burn-out was gradually integrated back in regular education thanks to AV1.
Jacques van den Born, Samenwerkingsverband BredaDuring the period that we have been working with AV1, the robot has also been used by children that are at home because they suffer from a burn-out. In our experience, the tiny robot is an ideal solution for these children to keep the connection with their peers during their absence. This helps them to, step-by-step, return to school and to their classmates. The child is in full control over when and for how much time it wants to participate and be involved. It is exactly this autonomy that increases the likelihood of a full return to school.
Contact information: If you want more information you can call or email Director Samenwerkingsverband Breda, Jacques van den Born, at phone: +31 6 18 28 18 19 or email: jvandenborn@rsvbreda.nl.
Sweden: higher grades through using AV1
Hedeskolen in Göteborg, Sweden, is using AV1 specifically for students that avoid going to school. One student in secondary school started using the robot and according to Head Teacher, Emma Dahl, clear results were seen through higher grades in several subjects. As of February 2019 the student, who had been using AV1 for half a year, stopped using AV1 and fully returned to regular education. Dahl and the teacher Camilla Hedberg in Kungsbacka municipality received the Learning for Life Award for their work on developing digital teaching.
Emma Dahl, principal Hedeskolen in GöteborgIt has given some attention and I hope that the concept will be spread and that the municipality will buy more robots. Those who sit at home are very isolated, but with the robot, they can hear and see everything that's going on. The robot can further simplify for the students to take the step back to the school bench. Then it won't be as scary to come back.