Guildford Learning Centre
OUR CONTEXT
Our “why” for Social Emotional Learning
Our school, Guildford Learning Centre, is a small secondary, providing learning opportunities for students who are completing courses in grades 10, 11 and/or 12. Students can graduate from GLC or return to a mainstream school to complete high school, and graduate.
Our students are a diverse group with complex backgrounds, who comprise a wide range of abilities, gifts and talents. Our purpose is to nurture the inherent abilities of our students, to reduce stressors and increase joy, and thereby change the narrative of their stories, from ongoing struggles to one of success.
Education is a “contact” sport; the young brain is designed to develop, grow and “flourish in a social context” (C. Elders, Clinical Psychologist), and establishing positive relationships is a foundational feature of our learning centre. At GLC, we work hard at capturing the heart of our students; we are then more able to engage the hands and the brain. Meaningful and quality learning can now happen.
Our students need the support of staff, and their peers, to help them discover their passions, their voices and build on their strengths. Students work closely with an understanding and flexible staff, who provide our learners with a more student-centred, self-directed program. With support focused on diverse learning, emotional and social needs, pathways are created for each student to achieve their educational goals. The spirit of our school culture is one of hope and belonging, where all students feel safe, supported and valued; where equity is woven into the fabric of what we do, and where student voices are activated. One of our students described GLC as "her home away from home". Our motto at GLC is "A school that CARES"!
OUR LEARNERS
COVID has had an adverse effect on the educational journey, and the well-being of many youth. With the intake of numerous Grade 10 students across the learning centres, it has become evident that the pandemic has interrupted not only the intellectual development of these youth but perhaps more importantly, their social emotional development. "Carla Elfers, a Vancouver clinical youth psychologist, said generation Z is struggling just as much from how the pandemic has reduced social contact, volunteer activities and extra-curricular events as it has from the disarray in their formal academic studies." ('In the Dark' - Douglas Todd Vancouver Sun, January 29, 2020). The last "normal year" for the students in Grade 10, was Grade 7 and the data shows that many are deficient in grade 8 and grade 9 core courses (see graphic below). According to Elfers, for students who were in grade 8 when COVID hit in March 2020, things "might be the toughest". COVID interrupted a very critical development period in the lives of these students. "That three-grade period is crucial for developing close friendships, a sense of purpose and resilience, which Elfers said is important to have in place before the big push to figure out our path in higher education and work". For vulnerable youth especially, who are often already behind their peers due to disengagement and absenteeism, COVID has amplified all of this.
In the following graphics, BLUE indicates core courses completed in grade 8 and 9; RED indicates core courses not completed in grade 8 and 9.
Social Emotional Learning:
Students who are personally aware and responsible, recognize how their decisions and actions affect their mental, physical, emotional, social and cognitive wellness and take increasing responsibility for caring for themselves (Albert Bandura, Psychologist). Students who have strong self-efficacy, believe in themselves and their ability to reach their goals; they participate more in class, work harder, persist longer and have fewer adverse emotional reactions when encountering difficulties. They are able to manage stress and express a sense of well-being. We celebrate our learners successes and strengths in the areas of:
1. Self Awareness
2. Self management
We want our learners to understand that their decisions and choices affect themselves and others around them. By developing their competencies in the areas of self-awareness and self-management, they will be able to approach their goals, tasks and challenges with a positive mindset; this, in turn, will lead to a greater engagement in their learning and personal development. This will be demonstrated through their exploration of personal and cultural identity, and standing in the community, as they further develop their communication skills.
Our learners can make connections between emotions and learning. They can identify their own emotions, as well as those of others.
Our learners can recognize their strengths and can use strategies to focus and accomplish their goals.
Our learners believe in their capabilities to achieve academic, career and/or personal goals.
OUR FOCUS
The gap in the social emotional development of our Grade 10 youth has highlighted the need to focus on SEL, particularly the curricular competencies, "explore and describe factors that shape personal identities, including social and cultural factors" and, "develop skills for maintaining healthy relationships and responding to interpersonal conflicts". This will be demonstrated through their exploration of personal and cultural identity as students further develop their communication skills through the identity unit in English 10, and through CLE, where students learn that finding a balance between work and personal life is essential to good physical and mental health.
- Our learners can make connections between emotions and learning. They can identify their own emotions, as well as those of others.
- Our learners can recognize their strengths and can use strategies to focus and accomplish their goals.
- Our learners believe in their capabilities to achieve academic, career and/or personal goals.
The following structures are in place, where the focus is on personal awareness and responsibility:
1. During the intake process, a "Student Learning Plan" is constructed. The "SLP" is the one of the building blocks utilized for each students' social emotional learning. Students identify their 'strengths and stretches' in the personal, social and academic domains. Below are 3 examples of the SLP:
2. Mentorship Block/Home Room - the purpose is to build relationships and connections, and help students build strong skills in the area of social emotional learning. Some of the topics covered during Mentorship Block: planning and goal setting, problem solving, brain development, growth mindset, mindfulness
3. SOGI Club - the purpose of this club is to foster belonging and diversity; the SOGI club provides a welcoming space, free of judgement; the club meets once a week and is open to all students
4. Koffee with Kuda - in partnership with Espoir for all Society, we offered a ten week program to a small group (10 students), covering the topics of addiction awareness, prevention and well-being. At the core of the program is having participants recognize how addiction is a significant barrier to personal success
5. Indigenous Story Telling - our youth and elders connected through the power of storytelling. The weekly presentations allowed students to learn from, and reflect on, the teachings and experiences of the elders. Students reflected on their own identity and place in the community
6. CAPSTONE Projects - focus on career or personal goals
Student Voice: When asked how they would demonstrate personal awareness and responsibility, our learners expressed/voiced the following:
OUR NEXT STEPS
Moving forward:
It is of particular importance that our learners understand how emotions and learning are interconnected. SEL is not a separate subject area; it is linked to various subjects and curricular areas. To continue to develop and enrich the skillsets in self-awareness and self-management benefits the whole child, personally (self-awareness), socially (self-management; interactions with others) and academically (improved focus, engagement, progress and fulfillment of goals).
We will continue with this important work with all students. To determine if the strategies and systems in place are having a positive effect, the following will be implemented:
1. Establish a small cohort of grade students enrolled in CLE 10 and English 10
2. Pre and Post Survey on SEL; survey will be administered to the grade 10 cohort prior to starting Unit 1 in English and CLE; survey re-administered when each student has completed English 10, Unit 1, Who Am I?, and CLE 10, Unit 1, Who Are You?
3. At the end of each term, students who have finished a course(s), will complete a self assessment on the Core Competencies - Communication, Creative and Critical Thinking and Personal and Social Responsibility. Students can choose to assess themselves in 1 or more of the Core Competencies. Students who have completed all requirements to fulfill graduation requirements, assess themselves in all the Core Competencies.
4. Continue our community partnership with Espoir for all Society.
Surrey Schools
Formed in 1906, the Surrey School District currently has the largest student enrolment in British Columbia and is one of the few growing districts in the province. It is governed by a publicly elected board of seven trustees.
The district serves the cities of Surrey and White Rock and the rural area of Barnston Island.
