Sustaining teacher inquiry:

The following synopsis is intended to expand the sphere of influence of positive student leadership development to countries around the world. Herein, I provide an overview of the purpose, stakeholders, technology involved, results of implementation and implications for teaching.

This Canadian-born project, conceived by Yvonne Dufault, educator/researcher and author in Markham, Ontario, has had positive life-changing impacts on all student participants. Its intent is to expand the sphere of influence well beyond our borders towards our southern neighbors and around the world. Young people everywhere need hope and meaning in their lives. Providing youths with a sense of purpose, this leadership development project which focuses on community outreach, can be replicated throughout the world, geared to the specific needs of any given community. To spread peace throughout the world, help others and gain members on every continent is the inherent three-fold purpose of the international "Kids Who Care/Jeunes Altruistes" student-led organization. My action-based research planted the seed, building both self-esteem and teamwork. Meaningful activity helped positive global citizenship take root. Students experience first-hand the satisfaction of leaving the world a little bit better. They witness their positive impacts on others’ lives. Such rewards lead not only to the growth of the organization, but especially to the evolution of those involved. When youths work together for the common good with a shared vision such as "Unity in solidarity, serving those in need", an intensity of purpose plus a mission clearly articulated, understood and embraced by all participants, race relations becomes a non-issue. Cultural barriers melt away. The local group whom I helped guide into existence, form the nucleus of the KWC/JA organization. Groups from other countries, who join forces with us, also espouse the same vision

The first few years of operation, our use of technology was very limited. We began with a personal approach. On parent/ teacher-supervised group walks in the community, we made face to face contact with local business people. Students would systematically gather business cards while making a good first impression through the use of proper etiquette. At the same time, they would establish the legitimacy of our work as we presented letters of introduction on school letterhead, which was very important for establishing our initial base of support until our organization became well known and accepted in the community. To this day, students enjoy the "face to face" and "community outreach" committees most of all. Most of our communication that builds trust and credibility is based on non-verbal cues.

Students work hard to maintain established business relationships as well as to pursue new contacts. They s type collectively composed business letters on the computer which they then print out, individualizing the addressees. Appointed student secretaries type agendas and minutes of meetings. These are reproduced for all members. Copies are filed for future reference. Students create homemade and computer-generated posters and flyers. They use the phone in the school office and in the English as a Second Language or guidance room to make outgoing local calls to potential supporters and existing business partners. ESL students often have a student peer "tutor" with them to coach them successfully through the use of the telephone script which had been practiced in class. ESL students have also proven particularly effective in approaching businesses that operate in their first language. In Richmond Hill and Markham, students using their competencies in Cantonese and Mandarin, for instance, have successfully bridged gaps between communities gaining support where "anglophones" have failed. Students learn that scripts merely provide a road map reference for dialoguing as respondents often produce unexpected answers to questions or pose questions themselves. In 1998, we also got free use of a voice mail message system, but aside from checking for homework, it was infrequently accessed. Without abusing the school loudspeaker system, we found it excellent for making short, pertinent morning announcements to the entire school community to announce our weekly meeting or a special event. Sending local faxes saves on the cost of postage and stationary. Sometimes specially trained members use the school fax machine during regular business hours to send press releases to the media or messages to business partners. Often students fax letters from their homes once a student editor and the teacher supervisor have screened content.

Basic photography is taught as part of the media literacy program. Using the school camera sometimes, but mostly my own, we take "engaged" pictures of students in action for inclusion in published articles, local newspaper blurbs and the yearbook. Later we add the aspect of videotaping significant events. Now all that accumulated information has been catalogued and we have acquired FOI-POP (Freedom of Information – Protection of Privacy) release forms, our Web Site development team is well positioned to add photos and videoclips to our Web Site this summer.

Web Site development was the final step in our outreach program. Our more tangible, physical presence in the local community was well established before we began significant improvements before we made major improvements on our Web Site to reach out to the global community. Given that many businesses are now on the Internet, e-mail addresses are increasingly used, dramatically saving time and paper. It is easy for students to cut, paste and redirect information. Students would send e-mail messages to inform, update and thank their "accounts." Many businesses are willing to donate old computers to a good cause when upgrading their systems. A computer and printer, good enough for simple word processing, have been donated for use by members at their new Markham District High School headquarters. Members in various chapters use whatever technology is practical, available and cost efficient. Most communities may wish to go low tech. Using overhead acetates, simply making notes in an exercise book or following the "oral tradition" and remembering, could be quite sufficient. In 1997, when we first set up our Web Site, students were just learning basic code. There were lots of mistakes. Less than fifty people visited the Web Site. Members didn’t advertise it enough, even at the school level. Advertising in the school newsletter and in the foyer would have helped. Due to worldwide explosion in the use of the information highway over the past year, in North America, cost efficient Internet use has increased exponentially. Almost all Ontario schools have at least one computer hooked onto the Internet through their school boards. All First Nations school communities across Canada are on line. However, in least developed and developing countries around the world, very few people have access to the Internet, let alone enough food to eat. Internet users who are most likely to surf the net and find us are generally those who are in a position to help with community outreach.

Students learn concepts, skills and attitudes that will help carry them successfully through life. With the help of adult facilitators, they learn to develop effective interpersonal communication skills such as proper telephone etiquette and business letter writing. They learn organizational skills. They elect leaders, knowing that leadership is activity, not a title. Collaboratively, they set targets, establishing the overall objectives and direction for the group, ensuring that members clearly understand their tasks. They keep personal logs of time invested and tasks undertaken, much as a saleperson or entrepreneur would do. They set standards for behavior and performance. All members learn to "formatively" assess their strengths and weaknesses, participating in an official diagnostic survey at the beginning of the year and a "summative" one at the end. Elected leaders set the pace for the group, supervising work in progress and setting an active example of physical involvement and productivity. Group members cannot not work at a faster pace than the designated leaders. Leaders develop an action plan to be modified and approved by the group. Leaders monitor members’ progress, ensuring that tasks are effectively carried out. Tasks are completed in a timely friendly manner. Leaders guide members to identify local potential sponsors, dividing areas geographically. They organize committees, run meetings and set agendas.. Leaders give members regular constructive feedback, continuously making any necessary adjustments in delegation of tasks. From the adult advisor or "guide on the side", leaders and disciples receive essential ongoing constructive feedback every step of the way to build self-confidence and "l’esprit du corps." There are times when there is a major push to complete a project that requires help from all members. It is critical that the adult advisor let all developing student leaders in the organization know what they are doing well and what requires further refinement in order to help them achieve even greater success. This helps students become confident risk-takers who consciously self-monitor their own progress. Members can revolve out of the program. They can also step down to do simpler tasks that require less time and effort. All members learn the "golden" rule of appreciate follow-up which guarantees future support from local contributing businesses and individuals.

Through carefully constructed activities and training sessions, students develop a better understanding of self and others while enhancing their communication skills and global awareness of the world. They learn to explore situations from multiple perspectives while making use of their "multiple intelligences" of the seven types of learners. Learner types include bodily kinesthetic, intrapersonal, logical/mathematical, spatial/visual, linguistic, interpersonal and musical. Students discover their special talents and strengths. Adjustments to their leadership program are made accordingly. Students become more articulate, informed, respectful, responsible, resourceful learners who possess a sense of purpose and are self-directed, problem-based problem-solvers. Although initially hesitant, they learn to embrace challenges as opportunity for growth and to adapt to change. Through meaingful interaction with local service groups like the Lion’s Club, The Optimist Club, the Royal Canadian Legion and the Entrepreneurial Adventure, program, students discover the power of the voice and of the pen way beyond the classroom. All students who have revolved through this program have continued on in some leadership capacity elsewhere. These types of programs promote feelings of pride, dignity and self-worth as well as build a sense of community in the classroom. A sense of service to the community, once kindled in their hearts, glows forever reflected in subsequent independent activity. Finally, seeing the results of their efforts is the most exciting part of their involvement. Students particularly enjoy the trips to the women’s shelters and the pregnancy crisis centre. They enjoy getting mail from their adopted children in Guatemala. At this real level of human contact, youths truly recognize the value of giving in the spirit of citizenship in the global community. Students who are validated and acknowledged for their positive student leadership, continue to grow as positive leaders in many different fields. . I have many testimonials from those who have moved through the program as well as from their parents, attesting to this fact. One day they will simply be able to do good without seeking approval. Doing something quietly because it is right, without expecting thanks is perhaps life’s hardest lesson.

Based on feedback from surveys, which I administered and collated, every student felt that involvement in the Kids Who Care leadership program had been worthwhile. The number and depth of skills and concepts taught depended upon the time and effort invested. This year we had approximately sixty students involved whose contributions ranged from honorable mention, to bronze, to silver, to gold, to triple gold for outstanding performance. Students were presented with certificates at the appropriate level indicating the estimated number of hours of community service based on teacher observation and time logged. Currently, Ontario’s Secondary Reform unrealistically points in the direction of increased student rights and reduced student accountability. Teachers have been informed that late assignments must be accepted without penalty for late assignments and occasionally unsubmitted work, simply forgiven. Where will our students now learn attitudes and behaviors suitable for the marketplace. The KWC/JA project provides a venue for teaching the value of embracing responsibilities as global citizens. It systematically prepares students for leadership roles in society. In the ‘real’ world, they will be held accountable for the quality of their work. The true harvest for the soul is in reaping the positive rewards of earnest effort. Paradoxically, an additional incentive for involvement, gifted to us from the Ontario Ministry from Education, is the new mandated 40 hours of community service required by the end of secondary school studies for graduation. This project directly supports the Ministry’s mandate. Projects like this are needed around the world for healthier, more caring societies. Please join us in developing positive student leaders. Write to us about what you are doing. Inspire others! Every step counts. You are welcome to link to our Web Site (given below).

Dufault, Yvonne. "Learning the Joy of Giving: Building Bridges of Understanding Through Community Partnerships" pp. 2 – 9 in FWTAO/FAEO Newsletter November/December, 1997, published by the Federation of Women Teachers’ Associations of Ontario. For more information, call 1-800-268-7205 or 1 (416) 964-1232 or e-mail Jennifer Drope, who edited the article at [email protected]

About the Author: Yvonne Dufault (B.A.) (B.Ed.) (M.Ed. in progress) has over twenty years of teaching experience in Quebec and Ontario, at both the elementary and secondary school levels. She has facilitated professional development workshops for hundreds of elementary and secondary teachers over the past six years. She is now entering her fourth year of involvement in classroom based action research. Starting in September, 1999 she is teaching in the Moderns Department at Markham District High School in Markham, Ontario, Canada.