Staff Teamwork

The school planning process is an important ingredient for success. Teachers tend to work in isolation, rarely inviting another teacher into their classroom. In planning the first family violence unit, teachers came together to share concerns about the topic and identify their own learning needs. As they began to consider how 4 they would communicate these issues to their students, they brainstormed strategies, shared ideas and resources, and many ended up working in pairs to present certain content.

Statement of Rights I am an important and worthwhile human being. I deserve to be treated with respect. I have power over my own life and can make good decisions for myself. I can decide, with the help of trusted adults, what is best for me. I am not alone. I can ask others for help. I am worth working and changing for. I deserve a safe and happy life.

One of the strongest features of our approach is that the family violence learnings are integrated with mandated curriculum. So that, for example, a math class might learn about grids and percentages by charting the frequency of wife assault in Canada. Although initially teachers may have discomfort about their understanding of family violence, they are experts in their own subject area. Using these areas provides teachers with a sense of security and competence that enables them to take risks in planning a program for the prevention of family violence. The integration with mandated curriculum also assists teachers in evaluating students' learning during the unit and removes any appearance that what is happening is superficial or unimportant learning.