Seeds of Change: A Journey of Creating Transformational Learning Environments for Students
The Seed of Change
I am a student of life – always in search of eye-opening, first-hand education that only experience can provide. When I finished my first bachelor degree I sold all of my possessions and ventured off with nothing but a half-filled 40L backpack and almost no money in my name. I purchased a one-way ticket to India and ended up travelling the world for several years. My intention was to dive into the unknown in order to broaden my worldview, to reduce misunderstandings and enhance lives, both my own and those of the entire world community. The idea was to explore not only countries and cultures, but the infinite potential for positive change that such experiences inherently possess.
After several years I felt a strong call to return to New Brunswick and in dig roots. My thoughts were consumed with how to utilize my unique travels and human interactions to promote learning, cultural diversity, environmental stewardship, equality, respect, and peace with within my community. My aim was to transform my adventures into positive actions.
I realized that although children are only roughly a quarter of our population, they are 100% of our future and high quality education is absolutely essential for New Brunswick to have a prosperous future. I decided to enter the education system, motivated to provide youth with opportunities to expand their perspective and empower them to be more open-minded, compassionate, and tolerant global citizens.
A Rude Awakening
I was fortunate to receive a full year contract immediately after I finished my Bachelor of Education. Funny enough, I was offered a position teaching grade 7 and 8 math at my former middle school. I came in with the highest hopes and ambitions of inspiring my students to live authentically, think expansively, and create bravely.
Within only a few weeks, I realized that I was assigned an impossible task. I taught more than 120 students per day, five classes each with anywhere between 24 and 28 students. I saw each class for a total of 45 minutes per day before the bell rang and they were sent to their next subject. Within that short time frame I was expected to teach students particular curriculum outcomes that they had absolutely no input in. Take a look at the New Brunswick grade seven curriculum for mathematics; one would have to be a magician to check off every box without significantly prescriptive teaching methods.
Inclusion has very positive benefits when implemented appropriately, but it has a detrimental impact on learning without the necessary support and service. For example, in one class I had 28 students and 14 of them were on personalized learning plans, meaning they had a variety of conditions which affected their learning. Half of my students! Their collective academic abilities varied between kindergarten and grade 9. I felt so discouraged and overwhelmed trying to provide meaningful learning opportunities for each student.
The worst part of all, my students knew I didn’t connect to what I was teaching them. They told me so. And they showed me through their behaviours. Most of them had deep respect for me and were not intentionally malicious, but they are kids and they were disengaged. There was no clearer sign that what I was teaching didn’t resonate with them at all. Behaviour issues constantly distracted me from the lessons. The disengagement, from the students and me, lead to serious burnout on my part and unfortunately my students suffered the impact. I was not at my best, I was just hanging on.
I knew that I had so much more of value to offer these students, but I felt trapped. I saw myself slowly becoming a cog in the system. I was perpetuating the very thing I entered education to change. I spoke with my principal and she was very receptive. I shared my realization that either something had to shift or I needed to leave the profession. Luckily, she was forward thinking and was determined to find a creative solution.
A System in Crisis
Seasoned educators often tell me that behavior issues have notably worsened throughout their years in the profession. This problem affects the whole classroom and is detrimental to the school culture. Behavior problems distract other students from learning and require teachers to spend precious instruction time on discipline and behavior management. Most teachers I speak with say that they wish they could spend fewer school day minutes on discipline. Moreover, they claim it is one of the hardest parts of their jobs. I did.
To transcend the current teacher-student power dynamics, teachers must seek to understand what is happening in the minds of their students. Far too often, teachers perpetuate an oppressive pedagogy simply because they are following the dictates of their superiors and the rules of the system. In this context, students become intellectually and emotionally disengaged from their teachers and the prescribed curriculum, which often manifests in behaviour issues – a student’s poor means of communicating that their needs are not being met. This is something I struggled with as students would often come to me voicing their frustration with our school’s inconsistencies – on one hand we aim to promote individuality and sophisticated thinking, while on the other we expect students to conform to uncompromising school rules and complete coursework that has no relevance to their daily lives.
EST-B & Student Learning (and Intervention) Center
My principal and I agreed that addressing our school’s overwhelming behaviour issues was a priority, so she established a new position called educational support teacher – behaviour (EST-B). The role was undefined, so I could use my creativity and autonomy to develop an alternative model. In addition to the new EST-B position, we established a new location in the school called the Student Learning (and intervention) Center (SLiC). SLiC was a centralized location of the school that served as a home base for our educational support teachers (resource, guidance, and behaviour).
SLiC began as a center that would provide a welcoming space for any student in crisis. Our educational support staff (ESS) team designed an emergency response system through which a teacher can page the office and ask for an ESS member to escort the student to SLiC where they have a chance to calm down and continue their work. In addition, the ESS member would ask the student about what happened before, during, and after the incident. Understanding the student’s perspective is critical so that we could work with them and the referring teacher to make reparations and avoid similar incidents in the future.
Our ESS team developed a method to record and monitor crisis interventions so that we could assess the effectiveness of the new system as well as track patterns that might indicate that a more thorough intervention is necessary. While the system did offer immediate support to classroom teachers, we noticed an alarming trend happening. The crisis intervention support was required 52 times during September and 87 times in October. These rates of crisis were overwhelming and given that the system is reactive, rather than proactive, we did not foresee these numbers decreasing without making other significant changes.
A Holistic Approach to Learning
Perhaps most interestingly, we noticed that a small percentage of students required most of the support. We reached a point where some of these students required crisis intervention support four or five times in a single day. Clearly these students are facing significant barriers to success and have self-destructive ways of expressing their unmet needs.
To address the needs of those students, I designed an immersive ten-week pullout program. My intention with the program was to offer personalized education in an alternative learning environment. Along with increasing the choice and voice in what and how they learn, I wanted to offer these students an opportunity to become more compassionate and resilient global citizens.
Before commencing the program, I had each student complete a wellness survey to provide insight into their emotional and physical health. As a school we chose to focus on four of the questions from the survey, so I decided to do the same with these students.
The four questions are:
1) There is an adult at the school that I feel safe to talk to if something is bothering me.
2) I have a choice in what I am learning.
3) I am interested in what I am learning.
4) I take time alone to think about what’s important in life, such as who I am, and what I value.
The survey results, though extremely concerning, were not terribly surprising. There is no hope of a child reaching their full potential if their fundamental human needs are not met. I knew that it was time to put these students first, align resources to their multiple needs, and develop a more balanced approach to their educational programs.
Their new schedule began with physical education led by the guidance counselor, which offered him an opportunity to make more personal connections with the students. When they returned from the gym, they would sit on a mat to have a group discussion with myself and our other part-time behaviour mentor. This hour gave us an opportunity to check in with how they are feeling and find out how things are at home. We also facilitated daily discussions about essential themes such as accountability, courage, compassion, honesty, respect, and responsibility. The students were keen to share their perspectives and engage in dialogue about how these values and ethics could be applied in their daily lives.
I dedicated the following portion of each day to teaching and practicing skills of mindfulness – the ability to stay focused on one’s present experience with nonjudgmental awareness and curiosity. I would either lead students through a yoga practice or a guided meditation, simply directing them to breath and body awareness. The initial feedback was almost resoundingly negative. They did not like taking time to slow down. These practices didn’t offer the same stimulation that they were used to with their phones and video games. On the contrary, mindfulness challenged them to observe their own thoughts and emotions, which can be an extremely difficult task in this age of distraction. After only a week however, students began asking for mindful moments throughout the day because they were able to recognize how much calmer they felt afterwards.
The final hour and a half before lunch the students worked on an innovative program called PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs, where they created their own products and sold them at a final showcase event. With the support of iHub Learning Inc., I was able to work closely with the program creator, Bill Roach, to design a personalized deep dive approach for this group of students. The ten week immersive experience allowed us to explore intricacies of marketing; discuss the importance of contributing to society; research about and speak with local charitable organizations; and learn about the financial requirements of starting a business. To my surprise, there were several students who said that they would not be participating. They claimed that they were incapable of ever starting a business. This broke my heart.
Why do these children, only 12 years of age, already have such a strong belief that they are so incompetent? How can we expect a child to reach their full potential if their confidence and creative spirit is, or appears to be, crushed? In that moment, I was struck with the profoundness of the opportunity we were offering these students. It took some students five weeks to realize that they would indeed be able to launch their own business, but I was just happy they finally opened to the idea. I continued to encourage them, especially on days when their confidence was low and they wanted to quit. Despite their reservations, everything came together in the final week leading up to the showcase event. The faces of these students on the day of the event were priceless. They pushed through all of their self-doubt and felt so empowered as a result.
On the morning of the showcase, one mother said to me, “I’ve never seen my son so excited and proud of anything in his life Stuart! I’m so happy and it’s all because of you. The first teacher who didn't give up on him and he has much respect for you because of it!” Another parent emailed following the event, “Many thanks for the inspiring and encouraging guidance you have given my son this year. The change and fulfillment we have seen in him and his personal growth is a direct result of the building blocks you have given him. Thank you and your team so very much.” It is clear to me that these students don’t need to be filled with information to be successful; they need an opportunity to unleash their creativity and caring adults who encourage them to persist in the face of adversity.
Afternoons were dedicated to a second passion project with the hopes of sparking joy in the students by exploring topics that intrigued them. The inquiry-based projects tested the students’ abilities to think critically and creatively and encouraged them to explore their passion in a way that would allow them to contribute to society in a meaningful way. Things moved very slowly at first, likely because students were not used to having such open-ended learning opportunities. However, with guidance and encouragement, students came up with a variety of fascinating projects. Several students tended to a hydroponic garden where they learned how to grow and prepare food.
One student established a school-wide recycling program. Another taught himself how to play guitar. One student taught himself how to code and created his own video games. Others chose to repair old bicycles with the intention of donating them to our local bike co-op. These students continually amaze me in terms of what they can achieve when they are motivated about learning. Regardless of whether they are high achievers or struggle academically, I have seen students totally transform their attitude to learning once they realize what they can achieve through these projects.
The Grass is Greener Where You Water It
The pullout program was initially very chaotic. Students all struggled tremendously with taking accountability for their actions. They often blamed others for the outcome of a situation as well as for their own emotions. I observed many fights and incessant name calling. Students would be constantly making a mess and refusing to clean up, blaming one another for making the mess. I had days early on where I seriously questioned the pilot project. In moments of weakness, I thought that I may experience burnout before we noticed any change in their behaviour. Nonetheless, I kept faith and remembered that all change is difficult and messy at first, but worth it in the end. I decided that no matter how challenging certain days were, there was no way I would give up on these children - they deserve nothing less than our best.
I have come to learn that human relationships are at the heart of schooling. When we genuinely listen to students and attempt to understand their motives, values, and emotions, we can uncover interesting information that would have otherwise remained concealed. As such, the morning discussion time was particularly valuable because it offered me an opportunity to better understand my students, connect with them on a real level, and affirm their worthiness. I would also positively reinforce their virtuous actions by acknowledging them and would also hold the students accountable every time they strayed from our agreed upon expectations. Explicitly teaching, modeling, and reinforcing positive core values and ethics helped these students acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions; set and achieve positive goals; feel and show empathy for others; establish and maintain positive relationships; and make responsible decisions.
(Survey feedback from students post program)
Another critical part of each day was mindfulness. Through movement, breath, and mindfulness meditation, we were able to cultivate a safe space that supported patience and compassion for oneself and others and empowered positive decision making. I witnessed classroom culture organically transform into a place that encourages self-awareness and emphasizes mood regulation and empathic interpersonal skills. Ultimately, I believe this to be an opportunity for youth to learn skills that will challenge them to contribute to the world in a meaningful and productive way.
The pullout program with the students only lasted for a ten-week period. Clearly much more time, effort and resources are required in order to ensure these students have the necessary values and skills to reach their potential. However, the difference in their behaviour and attitudes from start to finish was drastic. If nothing else, the wellness survey data demonstrates that these students have a much better opportunity to learn and grow.
Removing these students from their regular classrooms had a tremendous impact on the number of crisis interventions required. Teachers suffered fewer disruptions and were able to spend more time teaching. We began a slow ‘reintegration’ process with the students in January. They had re-entered anywhere from three to five of their six scheduled classes based on their readiness. Behaviour issues still arose for these students, but at a fraction of the rate they did previously. We aim for continuous progress, not perfection.
Pitfalls of Bureaucracy
At the end of the school year, the principal and I devised a plan to expand the reach of the program. The following year, the EST-B would support teachers in implementing the aforementioned pedagogy and practices in their classrooms. As we entered the final stages of planning, we were notified that our full time employment dedicated to the EST-B position had been removed without warning. District leadership justified the move by telling us that the budget was slashed, which it was. Unfortunately in tight budgets, innovative programs are the first to be cut. The vast majority of our efforts and resources go toward institutional maintenance, which is a shame because this causes stagnation. I turned down a classroom position, jeopardizing my future within the profession, because I refused to fall back into the same pattern that I found myself in my first year of teaching. Though the decision was challenging, I knew I would rather leave public education than risk perpetuating the status quo.
Within the conservative educational order of mainstream schooling, knowledge is produced far away from school by experts who are far removed from the classroom environment. The vast majority of big picture decisions are made without any consultation with teachers, parents, or students – those who are directly impacted. A significant portion of the power thus lies with those dictating the curriculum, hours of instruction, class sizes, staffing numbers, etc. Though I have only been working within the public education system for three years, I have observed a tremendous imbalance of power. In nearly every school I visit in the province in 2019, I see teachers teaching the exact same subject matter that was taught in 1919: reading, writing, math, science, and history. The expectation inherent in much of the current curriculum is for teachers to simply provide students the ‘facts’ and have them prove their ability to reproduce what was handed to them. Worse still, standardized testing and high-stakes tests are still being used to measure how well our teachers are doing in educating their students and teachers feel the pressure to ensure they cram their students full of the information being tested.
If teachers continue to see themselves as mere employees of a distant school district or province that are hired to teach outdated curriculum, apathy will persevere in contributing to passivity – ultimately making our lives worse. Distrust breeds distance. We become undemocratic. Standardization turns teachers and parents into the local instruments of externally imposed expert judgment. In order to breathe life into education, teachers must transcend the idea that they are merely an employee hired to teach curriculum. They are human beings teaching children, supporting them in their exploration of the world. Not an agent of the state.
When, If Not Now?
For too long, we have committed to time structures, coursework, instructional methods, and assessments designed more than a century ago. The demands of the 21st Century require a new approach to education policy and practice – a holistic approach to learning, teaching, and community engagement. The biggest indictment of our schools is not our failure to raise test scores above some politically-determined line of ‘proficiency.’ It’s that – day in and day out – we routinely ignore the fact that our children are bored, disengaged, and disempowered. Measuring academic achievement is important and necessary; no one is arguing otherwise. But if we fail to move beyond a narrow curriculum and accountability system, we will have failed to adequately prepare children for their futures. To the extent that we narrow the purpose of schooling to what can be measured, we fail to engage that which must be developed for children to become compassionate life-long learners.
The province of New Brunswick is taking great strides to shift its public education system to a 21st Century model of learning. In order to achieve this goal, we must acknowledge that additional funding alone is not the answer. Our efforts and resources must be directed with a clear understanding of what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how it will have an impact. Clarity precedes mastery.
Applying measures of change from the top down may be done with the best of intentions; however, doing so is akin to applying fertilizer to top soil. It will stimulate growth, but when the fertilizer is removed the soil conditions have not changed. It is imperative that we create a fertile soil by establishing lasting positions and support structures within and alongside each school that move us closer towards a more holistic model of education. We need to create environments where all stakeholders within education are immersed in the values, practices, and beliefs of democratic societies and human rights.
As an educator and human being, I believe my duty is not only to help ensure that the next generation has the theoretical capacity for success, but is also equipped with the values and skills to be leaders of tomorrow. Let’s work together, with clarity of purpose and intent, to make this vision a reality.
“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”
-Paolo Friere