Making a Difference in Ottawa
As a graduate of the Facilitator Training program and principal of Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School, in Gatineau, Quebec (1km from parliament), we have been weaving the Neufeld approach into the culture and organization of the school for several years. Our philosophy seems so simple, but is being viewed as quite progressive by many parents within our own community and our region at large. We are an inner city school with a socioeconomic factor of 8 (10 being the most disadvantaged) and with our proximity to Ottawa we have a highly transient population. Furthermore, 110 of our 525 students are First Nations/Metis/Inuit. Many of these families are coming from Chisasibi, Mistissinni and Nemaska in the James Bay area. As the parents are coming to the region to attend CEJEP or College, their stay in our community can sometimes be quite short. This, as you can imagine, makes it more difficult for the school to establish deeper attachments to all of our students and families. Therefore, at our school, we have to be more creative to find ways to help the students attach to staff members and families to have a sense of belonging to our school community.
Over the years we have adopted several unique and successful practices in our school and I would like to share a few. Even though they now seem so obvious, it doesn’t mean they are universally embraced and practiced at other schools
A common school-wide language that is understood by all staff members and parents (“collect before you direct”, “emotion seeks expression”, “take up a relationship with frustration”, “always preserve the relationship”, etc.)
The principal and teachers are at the buses and front gate every morning to collect the students and connect with parents
Collect the students again after recess and lunch
Selected students go directly to one or two identified staff members before reporting to class – take longer to collect
Some students have scheduled 10 minute breaks during class to check in with the two technicians who are the “attachment facilitators” this is a preventative strategy to shape the emotional expression of certain students
One room is our “attachment room” the other is the “cultural room”
Students have options while in either room: talk/vent with staff member, complete work on bicycle desks, play African or native drums, bead, traditional singing, etc.
During recesses, have a series of supervised alternate sites for students: sports in the gym, art club, cultural room, reading room, games room
Senior buddy program for students who are having more difficulty attaching to staff members
Monthly activity afternoons; whereby students sign up for an activity they enjoy with a specific teacher – facilitate the deepening of the attachment to a significant adult
Friday morning school-wide assemblies to collect the student body
After school, evening and weekend events: sports, cultural events, meals, cooking classes, music, etc.
Drop-in for coffee to chat with the principal every Friday morning
Parent-staff weekly soccer night
The school has adopted this approach to help provide all students with an opportunity to attach to at least one staff member in the building (matchmaking). We noticed last year that we still had a few students who were not attaching to anyone. As such, we had a creative idea to bring in a music producer to work with kids to write and record a song. In three days, eight students wrote and recorded one of the best songs I have ever heard. The song speaks of hope, tolerance, peace, and inner struggle, and has become an inspiration to all. If you get a chance, it is worth a listen. It is amazing what kids can accomplish when we see them differently and give them a chance.
