Carlyle Elementary implements solution-focused approach

by Jordan Stoopler

“Feel something, say something! (respectfully)”

Take a stroll down the bustling hallways of Carlyle Elementary School and you are bound to cross paths with at least one staff member wearing a white t-shirt with this school motto prominently displayed. The slogan itself was the brainchild of childcare worker Joyanne Marie Layne, during a recent solutions-focused teacher’s workshop with trainer-consultant Sharon Casey.

“A lot of times, people are upset as they walk around the school,’’ said Layne.  “Their faces are upset but they aren’t saying anything. It is important to speak up for conflict resolution and a happier team dynamic.”

“After COVID, we were detached,” said school principal Dina Vourdousis. “We needed a catalyst to bring us together. The solutions-focused approach was that catalyst to take our minds off the problem and focus on the solution.”

Vourdousis says the initial workshop empowered her staff of 65 to solve problems cohesively, as opposed to coming to her for conflict resolution. The approach, she says, has given her staff “their voices back.”

Carlyle has also integrated their solutions-focused approach into their International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB-PYP). An IB school since 2013, Carlyle breaks down its curriculum into multiple units of inquiry aimed at building conceptual understanding all the while nurturing and developing caring students with a fondness for learning. The program culminates with an annual exhibition put on by the Grade 6 graduating class showcasing personal inquiry projects centered around a common theme.

“We follow ministry requirements, but the approach we take is different,” said Christina Mallozzi, teacher in the Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten split class. “We’re getting the students involved so that they are passionate about what they are learning and inquiring about. We have a lot of diverse learners as well. We are able to tailor the units to the individual needs and abilities of the students.”

In Georgia Papadopoulos’ Grade 1 class, the students have embraced another saying: “Don’t squeal unless it’s a big deal.” Papadopoulos says the mantra aims to have students differentiate between big and small problems.

“Critical thinking and problem-solving is embedded in our IB program,” said Papadopoulos, a teacher for 36 years, the last 24 of which she has spent at Carlyle. “We’re a very student-centered school, with the teacher merely acting as a facilitator. Every day, the students are faced with opportunities to develop their problem solving skills at their level, which, in turn, will help them develop solutions either independently or in a group.”

“Students will come and share what has happened to them, but preface it by saying there’s no need to worry, that they have talked about it and moved past it,” said Ioanna Diacoumacos, one of the IB coordinators at the school. “They’re able to problem-solve on their own and use the skills they have learned in school to overcome small problems they may have.”

“To support preventative measures in our school, we were pleased to have received funding from Santé Publique to offer training on Solution-Focused Schools,” said Gail Callender, assistant director, Student Services with the English Montreal School Board. This school year, the following elementary schools engaged in a two-day training session: Carlyle, Cedarcrest, St. Monica, St. Gabriel, Merton and Willingdon, as well as FOCUS high school.