Private Schools: Education Unbound
There are many similarities among private schools, or “independent” schools as they are known if they are not-for-profit – high academic standards, stellar facilities, a wide range of co-curriculars and a universal emphasis on character-building.
But there are also many differences. Some schools are traditional with stately ivy-covered buildings, while some are sleek with modern architecture. Some reside in the countryside, while others enjoy an urban setting and still others lie on oceanfront or lakesides. Some have student bodies of 1,000 or more, while others are small and local. There are all-boy, all-girl and co-ed schools, day schools and boarding schools. It’s a good illustration of a private school truth: There are many routes toward excellence, and students and their families should look for the one that best suits them. Private school students come from all walks of life. Many schools have a significant component of international students. Moreover, schools are making financial assistance a priority to ensure broad socioeconomic representation, and nearly 15% of students now receive some assistance. “Our student body is 80% Canadian, 7% to 8% American, and the rest are international with 40 countries in that 12%,” says Bud Patel, head of school at Brentwood College School, a co-ed boarding school 40 minutes north of Victoria, B.C. Most of the Canadians come from small towns in British Columbia or Alberta. “The campus feel is very small-town,” he says, “but it includes kids from around the world. It’s an interesting mix.” A community feel is an important facet of private schools’ mission of character development. On a daily basis, this focus on character development places greater responsibility on teachers, who typically have many roles outside the classroom as coaches, club leaders and mentors with assigned groups of students with whom they meet on a regular basis. “We’re selective in hiring,” says Michael Fellin, headmaster at Crescent School in Toronto, an all-boys school with an 9-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. “A young man’s relationship with a teachercoach-mentor will be the single most important variable in his willingness to engage. That’s why we put a lot of emphasis on relational teaching. That’s what I look for.” Private schools also have resources for teachers to pursue professional development and adopt best practices. At The Study, an all-girls school in Montreal, head of school Nancy Sweer supports teachers with a professionaldevelopment budget and a bestpractices committee .“The first week before school starts each year is devoted to this,” she says. “Each year, we develop a research and innovation plan. We ask all teachers and staff to produce and implement one innovation for the year – it can be large or small.” Their girls have witnessed live video-conferenced knee and hip operations, with live commentary from the surgeons. Others have built small motorized cars using PVC pipes. Kindergarten students are learning the elements of coding. “It’s all about creating exceptional student experiences,” says Sweer. “That’s what distinguishes us.” It’s fair to say that there is a wealth of exceptional student experiences in this world of private schools.
Innovations in Teaching & Learning
Private schools acknowledge that one of their biggest advantages is their teachers, who are encouraged to attend conferences, webinars and collaborative groups to explore the best ways for students to learn. This pioneering spirit leads to fascinating developments in the classroom.
Rethinking Math
Traditionally, math is taught by introducing a rule, followed by proof, practice and a problem to solve. Alex Shum, head of mathematics at all-girls Havergal College in Toronto, is turning that method on its head by occasionally introducing the problem first.
The problem-based method “generates a need” that begs to be solved, he says. “Sometimes the problem is framed in real-world contexts and sometimes they are abstract. They can be just within or even just beyond the reach of students’ previous knowledge – a seemingly simple puzzle or an openended question. We want students actively engaged.”
The teacher solicits ideas, asks leading questions, and together they test solutions. Using an iPad that connects wirelessly to a Smart Board or projector, the teacher can walk around and display students’ solutions to a question or problem and compare them, use the stylus to annotate answers, post possible solutions or ask students to critique one another’s work. In the end, the class creates a highlight summary, followed by traditional practice or homework.
Some teachers also record a screencast or video from the iPad and Smart Board and upload them, so students can review segments or even entire lessons if they were absent.
Shum emphasizes that problembased learning is not revolutionary. It has been used successfully in many schools. “It’s also one among many approaches that we use. It’s added to the mix of instructional methods. We are working it in gradually.”
Innovative Space
Innovative teaching methods often lead to changes in the classroom itself. In January 2018, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, south of Calgary, opened its new $24-million, 65,000-sq.-ft. elementary school and arts wing that, as head of school Carol Grant-Watt explains, “gives teachers the tools to design different activities for individual students.”
Traditional school buildings, she says, follow industrial-era concepts – long corridors with classrooms double-loaded on each side, like an assembly line. But people and their brains aren’t like automobiles. “Some brains are visual, others auditory, some students are hands-on learners. It’s not like installing tires or dropping in an engine. We thought we’d do it differently.”
The arts space, used by both junior and senior schools, was the key piece. Open sightlines take in the surrounding countryside and mountains. Most walls are glass, and rooms connect through sliding glass doors without corridors. Robust wooden beams support high ceilings. “What is happening in every classroom is very visible, but one doesn’t disrupt the next,” says Grant-Watt. “We invested in acoustic engineering. There are colourful suspended baffles, perforated drywall to deaden sound, and wood beams instead of steel. If you miss that acoustic piece, you’re in trouble.”
What’s going on inside is also eyeopening. There are “maker” spaces and a design-and-innovation lab with a 3-D printer where students work with robotics and virtual-reality projects.
“Our goal is to prepare our students for careers that may not even exist yet, by giving them skills in creative problem-solving and critical and design thinking, combined with strong communications abilities,” says Grant-Watt. “They work together and can delve deeper into their work.”
Q&A: Small Schools, Big Advantage
Rothesay Netherwood School, near Saint John, N.B., is a co-ed Grade 6-to-12 school with just 285 students, about half of them boarders, and a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1. Head of school Paul McLellan talks about how that sets his school apart.
Q: What makes a small school like yours so special?
A: The students form real relationships while stretching their
abilities. We provide an opportunity for students to get outside their comfort zone and achieve, whether it’s in class or on teams or other activities. It’s comfortable because everyone knows each other. The relationships provide the support and confidence necessary for students to totally immerse in our programs.
Q: Does a small school offer fewer choices?
A: Absolutely not. We pride ourselves on providing programs that match and exceed most of our competitors’ regardless of their size. We are committed to a comprehensive, liberal arts education that includes athletics, arts and service. This year, we will be launching our new entrepreneurship program, which will definitely ignite a spark in our community.
Q: What are some practical advantages of a smaller community?
A: Mental wellness is one of the biggest challenges facing independent schools today. The academic rigour, extracurricular schedule and the ubiquitous nature of social media can sometimes be overwhelming for our students. In a smaller school, we see any problems very quickly and address them.
Q: Do your students really know everyone in the school?
A: Yes, they do. Each September, we run a challenge to be able to name every student in the school off by heart. Kids line up to do it. The older students have the advantage of having been here for a while, but the younger kids aspire to do it, too.
Mental Health & Well-Being
The hottest topic in education right now is stress, anxiety and depression in teenage students.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, about 5% of boys and 12% of girls age 12 to 19 have experienced a major episode of depression. It’s logical to assume lessthan-major incidents are even more prevalent. The good news, they say, is that recognizing the situation and getting help can make a difference for 80% of those affected.
Educators in private schools see the same symptoms as the rest of society does, and they have the resources to tackle them through dedicated
support staff, programs for positive psychology, mindfulness initiatives, outdoor education, social media/ cellphone blackout periods, and more.
Structures for mentoring and building relationships have always been a core part of the student experience at Upper Canada College, a foremost all-boys school in Toronto. However, in the current climate of increasing concern about mental well-being of students, additional methods of support have been introduced.
“We see well-being in two domains – proactive and responsive,” says Scott Cowie, dean of student life and well-being. Cowie has been at UCC for 20 years but moved into his current position last year. He notes the school’s proactive side was well in place. For example, students attend two half-hour sessions a week in small groups with a senior faculty member who facilitates discussions on meaningful issues.
What the school needed was help on the “responsive” side with training and awareness for all. With a fulltime psychologist now on staff, UCC started teaching staff how to identify and respond to mental-health issues
and undertook specific training for its health centre team.
In the past year, through a donor’s assistance, UCC established a speaker fellowship that brought an international expert in positive psychology and strength-based parenting to spend a day working with students, faculty and parents on capitalizing on personal strengths.
“Some students have a limited understanding of what well-being means – they believe they’re either happy or not happy,” Cowie says. “We feel well-being is multidimensional, based on a number of different aspects of the human experience. Dimensions like accomplishment, resilience, vitality, a growth mindset, perspective... If we can help our boys understand all the aspects of their lives that are connected to their well-being, we can help them recognize when they might need to focus on one or more of them and provide them with strategies to enhance them.”
All-girls Branksome Hall in Toronto has been at work on well-being for several years, particularly since the opening of its $41-million, 68,000-square-foot athletics-and-wellness centre in 2015. With open sightlines to two pools,
gym, yoga and dance studios and a high-performance fitness centre, it’s designed for participation.
“We knew if we could provide a catalyst for wellness, we were setting our girls up for lifelong success,” says principal Karen Jurjevich. And a catalyst it was. The school has rejigged sleeping schedules, introduced healthy food options and runs “active life” activities such as Fit Friday, when girls use a midmorning break to take part in anything from walking groups to yoga classes or basketball.
“We work hard with our girls to not be perfectionistic and help them to be tactical in thinking about how much work is enough – and stop,” says deputy principal Karrie Weinstock.
To support the message, the school has introduced peer support groups, pairing Grade 10 and 11 girls with Grades 6 to 8 girls to meet regularly to talk about working smart. Grades 7 to 12 girls meet across grades to discuss what they’re doing and how they’re coping. Assemblies on a range of topics related to well-being are student-led. The school also runs a Mental Health Matters Week each January.
Q&A: On the Front Lines
Joelle Therriault is Branksome Hall’s lead social worker. We asked what she sees on the front lines in the battle against stress, anxiety and depression among teens.
Q: How do you become aware that a student has a problem?
A: Teachers, coaches, boarding advisors, parents and friends – people in caring relationships with the student – are often the first to notice changes. The student herself may confide in someone close to her.
Q: What is your first approach to her?
A: When a concern arises, it is typical that a conversation takes place with the student to check in and ask how
things are, share observations in a nonjudgmental way. Teachers, parents and friends can also consult anonymously if they are curious about the best ways to support students. Students are able to consult with a member of our student support team, which consists of guidance counsellors, our school nurse, social worker and learningstrategies teachers. We view asking for help, consulting with a caring friend or adult and seeking support as skills.
Q: Do you or a member of staff see girls on an ongoing basis?
A: When problems have significant impact, members of our student support team consult with the student and her parents. If the student and/or her family are working with outside support, they can participate as well. This helps us to collaborate on a co-ordinated plan. The student’s voice is integral. It is quite common
for girls to drop by in person or reach out by email to their guidance counsellor or the school social worker to request a meeting. To us, this is evidence that the idea of asking for help as a skill is catching on.
Active Citizenship: At Home & Abroad
Private schools ensure that students become citizens of the world as part of their mission of character development. And the world starts in their own neighbourhoods and extends across oceans.
Each year, the all-boys Crescent School in Toronto runs between five and seven international trips to various parts of the world – e.g.,
Tanzania, South Africa, Ecuador, Iceland – for upper-school students to experience immersion in another culture.
“Each involves a cause or has historical relevance,” says headmaster Michael Fellin. “The beauty of independent schools is making our mission relevant in the current world – and the world of tomorrow, as we are educating boys for a future not yet known.” The mission he refers to is the school’s mission: “Men of Character from Boys of Promise.”
But private schools don’t focus just on worldwide adventures. National and local involvement are just as important. Crescent School has added a learning trip to an Indigenous community in Moose Factory, Ont., as one of its outreach choices, and all grade levels take on regular local service commitments or fundraising campaigns.
At St. Andrew’s College, head of school Kevin McHenry describes three “baskets” of community service. The pre-Christmas “Holiday
Hero” fundraising and gift-giving program has raised close to $2 million for destitute families in its region north of Toronto and now focuses on struggling young people living on their own. Middle schoolers volunteer six times a year at a local food bank or visit and host events at a home for dementia patients, where they also stage much-appreciated musical shows. Finally, there is the annual “Spring Smash” fundraising campaign, run by grade 12 students, which raised $35,000 this year to help disadvantaged local youngsters play soccer and hockey.
“It’s critically important for everyone but particularly for teenagers to understand there’s a bigger world out there,” says McHenry. “We want them to understand it’s a privilege to live in Canada and go to a school like this. It’s a real core component of what we do.”
For schools in smaller communities, local initiatives are especially important for creating a sense of belonging that is such a big part of citizenship. Brentwood College
School has international partnerships to send students to Nicaragua and Swaziland each year to build schools and support health initiatives there, but it also backs up its local citizenship role with plenty of volunteer hours at the local food bank.
“Being in a small town, we take community service locally as very important,” says head of school Bud Patel. “Taking care of our community here creates the sense of service that we’re trying to embed for life.”
All-Boys and AllGirls: Dealing with the Difference
Boys and girls learn and relate differently, but that’s not the only reason to consider a single-gender school. They also face different
stresses and emotional challenges, and schools are developing new ways to deal with them.
“A lot of girls struggle with stress and anxiety,” says Martha Perry, principal of St. Clement’s School in Toronto, but stress is unavoidable, especially in a milieu of high achievement. “The key is defining the difference between healthy and unhealthy stress or anxiety and learning how to respond to both.”
It’s a challenge St. Clement’s has taken seriously with its own approach to wellness, called LINCWell, and it’s supported by teachers and counsellors for Grades 1 to 12 (including a parttime social worker and learning strategist), all of whom work with a program manager under the direction of the heads of school. “We treat well-being as being able to balance challenges with resources – resources that you’ve been taught or you can access,” she says.
LINCWell – with the acronymic goals of learning, individualization, nurturing, creativity and wellness – applies to all grades and activities at St. Clement’s, in and out of class. The program covers how the mind learns and responds to stress, how to develop good study habits, mindfulness, and offers a wealth of resources for mental health education. By senior school, students get more specific instruction on career planning and life skills such as nutrition and financial planning.
“Our goal is to prepare them for the future,” says Perry. “LINCWell assists girls in developing skills to ensure independence and well-being. It lets them work on specific aspects of well-being, so they can learn from disappointment and stumbles in life. They leave with a toolkit of personalized skills to enable success.”
Among boys, the key to handling today’s pressures is building relationships, according to Hal Hannaford, headmaster at Selwyn House in Montreal. “Boys are better at helping others than at asking for help,” he says. It makes relationships even more important, giving a boy someone trusted to confide in.
“Men have a problem developing close friendships the way women do,” he says. “Boys need a real focus on relationships. They need a sense of belonging and knowing they’re cared for.” Interestingly, he notes that boys not only need these relationships with male role models but also with substantial female influences. “Most boys’ schools, like ours, have more than 50% female faculty and staff.”
He says a boys’ school must become a relational school. “By my definition, that’s a school that understands the value of developing deep connections. The sense of belonging is central. In 30 years, I have yet to experience a boy whose problems can’t be solved through relationships.”