Quotes from teachers
'The children could easily identify with the stories and they love Zippy.'
'The programme grew better and better the more the children and I got used to it.'
'We have all looked forward to Zippy’s Friends sessions every week!'
'I have now realized that young children have just the same need to talk about their feelings and problems as grown up people.'
'The session about friendship had immediate results. The children started a ‘friend club’ straight away.'
'It’s a great joy to recognise changes in the children. Actually, they are also good at noticing changes in themselves.'
'Because of the programme I have realized how little I knew about the children. Now it seems that you can talk to children about everything.'
'Some children have said they feel more confident about coping with bullying problems.'
'I feel the children are being kinder to each other… I have had far fewer complaints about my class at lunchtimes.'
'Children are far more able to talk about their own feelings. Conflicts in the playground are fewer. Children feel far more confident in expressing themselves. They are far more articulate in expressing their feelings because they now have a vocabulary. They form friendships much easier. And we have had lots of positive feedback from parents.'
'I will now start with my 3rd year with Zippy’s Friends and I like it even more. I think it has a great value to give children and teachers the program. It is a prevention program that is given to all pupils in a class, not only ‘picked out’ pupils.'
'I have noticed an improvement in the children’s behaviour and the way they talk about their feelings.'
'To start with, I thought there were some themes you cannot talk about. But now I think we have to talk about all the themes in the programme with the children.'
'I think the children and I all gain from the programme. Children become better at handling problems and can see things from different angles. And the teacher learns how to deal with her own emotions. So, we all learn together.'