I miss the excitement and energy found in our schools, so when I get the opportunity to visit them, I take it. I was fortunate to spend the mornings of our last two PD days at both École Beau Meadow School and New Humble Centre School, and what a joy it was to work elbow to elbow with our admin and teachers - great things are happening in BGRS!
The Beau Meadow staff was looking at the ABC's of Stress in both the lives of children and adults. Staff discussed the importance of looking beyond the behaviour and attempt to understand that many things may be happening inside the child that are causing him/her to act in certain ways. It was agreed that a child's behaviour is simply his/her language for expressing how s/he is feeling. Hence, it is important for us to spend as much one-on-one time with our students as possible so we can know more about their feelings, interests, and experiences in life so we may help them discover what they do well and like about themselves - attachment is critical. In the words of Gordon Neufeld, "Unconditional love is the indispensable nutrient for a child's healthy emotional growth."
For staff, as caregivers, we must also find ways to manage our stress effectively, and one way is to seek peace; peace is the prerequisite for health. Finding peace through meditation, exercise, music, or spending time with family and friends can help one stay balanced. And, also important, is to steer clear of second-hand stress; we must do what we can to avoid taking on other people's stress, even if it means spending less time with people we like for a while. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
The New Humble Center Staff Focused on "Inspiring Education" and the vision for education through the three E's of Education: Engaged Thinkers, Ethical Citizens, with an Entrepreneurial Spirit. The question for staff was "What would this look and sound like in our classrooms?" Staff shared thoughts on Inspiring Education, the new Ministerial Order, and on communicating this new focus with parents and community.
Like Beau Meadow staff, New Humble Centre staff believed it is critical to know each of our students well so we may understand where their growth lies in each of the 3 E's. Staff looked at successful people in our world and discussed their strengths and areas for growth in relation to the 3 E's, and it was agreed that for our children to be contributing members in society, they will need to be Engaged Thinkers: thinking critically, using technology to learn, innovate, communicate, and discover; Ethical Citizens: building relationships based on humility, fairness, open-mindedness, and respect; with Entrepreneurial Spirits: creating opportunities through hard work, perseverance, goal setting, and self motivation.
