Episode 35 – Reclaiming Your Self ~ 10/11/04 ~ Creating Change in School
School is the place where our children ‘go to work’. Without the power to choose, they are expected to spend their days in the company of each other; and with the adults who self-select to educate them on the fundamentals, as well as indoctrinate them into the cultural expectations to come. And yet, we’re beginning to notice that our children are often struggling to get through their days – and some are living miserable lives!
Join Louise as she explores what’s possible with someone who knows – from the inside, out. As the need for change becomes impossible to ignore, the question then becomes: what change; and how do we make it happen?
In conversation with: Leona McIsaac-Moran – Certified CODE Model Coach™ (in process) – is an experienced professional in the educational system of Prince Edward Island. As a leadership coach within the educational system, she works with the people who work with our children; and recognizes that the path to a different future is in their hands.
[audio:http://www.wel-done.ca/RYS/E35.mp3|titles=Creating Change in School|artists=Louise LeBrun|width=350]
If you prefer, you can listen to the podcast Reclaiming Your Self with Louise LeBrun using iTunes,
After having listened to Leona, I can attest to the isolation that teachers experience. My colleagues and I are always struggling to find the time to talk about our students so that we can develop strategies that will support them.
But just so that you can get a feel for what it is like for me to be a teacher, let me share with you a few of today’s experiences:
One of my students who had to leave mid-year last year because he was suffering from depression needed to be in a rehabilitation school until this past week. Since he has been back this week, he has hugged me at least 3 times a day and today was a real special day, I got 5. He is 11 years old. I love him to pieces.
During the last period of the day, my 6th graders asked me if they could nap for 5 minutes. I barely had time to get yes out of my mouth that they were all on the rug, lying down. We got past the initial giggles and had 10 minutes of nice quiet time. They worked very well after that.
Then ther was my conversation with another student,(12) who stayed at recess because she had done absolutely no work because, in her words, she is lousy in math. Within 10 minutes at recess, she had completed the whole page without error. So I sat with her and wrote out an objective: What is your objective? We went from wanting to change schools to not wanting to be punished every day. It is a work in progress. But before she left, I said to her “you are not here because I am punishing you. You are here because I want to see you succeed and I believe that you are capable”. In the afternoon, she came to me with a big smile and proudly showed me her work that she had completed.
I love being a mother and I love being a teacher. I am not a great speaker, I never was great at knowing lots of things but one thing I am really good at is at BEING. And I distinctly heard those words spoken by Leona. But, I have something going for me – lots of years of personal evolution. I was lucky enough to notice early on in my parenting experience that it was not unfolding like I wanted it to and it was so scary that I searched for an answer and I found WEL-Systems. Louise, you know the rest of the story. I know that my experience of life in the past 10 years has been what it has been because of the conversations that I had with you and others around you, conversations that made a difference.
Thank you, Jackie