This text is part of the special public school notebook
In order to ensure the success of students with special needs, several schools have established special programs to enable them to learn better. Here are three examples of schools that have unusual initiatives.
A first return to the Irénée-Lussier specialized secondary school
On August 29, this secondary school in the Montreal district of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve welcomed its first students. These adolescents are aged 12 to 21 and have moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. The majority of the approximately 230 students also have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
These young people are admitted to one of three programs: intellectual disability, profound intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder. “All the programs work in terms of skills, which we develop through French, mathematics and other subjects,” summarizes Rhéal Lauzon, director of the establishment.
“We have a whole team that modifies its interventions to get these adolescents to communicate better, to interact, to socialize, to behave ethically. We work with them on autonomy and the whole theme of self-determination,” adds Mr. Lauzon.
The school materials and spaces have been adapted to the reality of these young people with special needs. “We don’t buy a volume or an exercise book, we build the material according to our students at school,” he explains.
Classrooms have a “black corner,” where the student is cut off from all stimuli. “Many of our students are hypersensitive to sounds, to vibrations, to what is moving in front of them. It’s a calming zone right in the room,” describes Mr. Lauzon.
Facilities accommodating swings and motor and psychomotor training rooms have also been installed outside the teaching premises.
In order to become independent adults, students have at their disposal two rooms reproducing complete housing. “The young people go there to cook, clean, wash, fold the laundry, make and unmake the bed, clean the apartment,” he says.
Students also learn assembly line work on professional sets in order to understand the concepts of scheduling and organization required in a job. “It’s certain that we are adapting, getting used to it. But parents told me that it was the best return to school ever for their child,” rejoices Mr. Lauzon.
A horticulture project at La Rencontre secondary school
In Saint-Pamphile, in Chaudière-Appalaches, an institution is setting up several special projects for its students in difficulty. The perseverance class at La Rencontre secondary school brings together 17 adolescents aged 12 to 21, struggling with various learning, behavioral, intellectual disability and ASD challenges. “We welcome all types of students who have significant academic delays in secondary school,” summarizes Karina Bilodeau, special education teacher at the establishment. She is supported by two other teachers and two specialized educators who support the young people on a work-study basis.
The school purchased hydroponic greenhouses in order to be able to teach horticulture to its students with the aim of putting certain concepts into practice and making them autonomous and responsible as adults. “Most of the teaching I do with students is based on real-world projects,” explains M.me Bilodeau.
Creation of a book, videoconference calls to schools around the world, laser cutting to decorate a photo wall… There is no shortage of ideas in the perseverance class. “Even if these are young people who stay with me for several years, each year, I try to go on a different tangent to vary the possibilities,” she adds.
Since last year, students have grown herb shoots and tomato plants. “We hear the water circulating, we see the plants growing day by day, it really gives a context to link learning in all subjects,” describes Mme Bilodeau.
The perseverance class also includes an entrepreneurial component, where adolescents provide service to the community. “Companies use the class to accomplish tasks. This allows students to develop skills, discover what assembly line work is like and meet the requirements of a client,” notes Mme Bilodeau.
According to the teacher, her students do not always realize the concepts they acquire. “There is school learning that is being done, but they don’t see it,” she said. But the reality is quite different for students. We realize that, ultimately, we need knowledge a lot for the projects we implement. »
Culinary internship at Chanoine-Beaudet secondary school
Students in the functional autonomy pathway class (CAF) in Saint-Pascal, in Bas-Saint-Laurent, have been able to learn cooking for three years and share it with the rest of the students. This class led by Cynthia Bernier takes part in La Fabrique ESCB, which includes a culinary internship.
In June, the initiative also made it to the finalists of the 8e edition of the 2023 Full Prize, which honors people and organizations who contribute to increasing the social participation of people with disabilities. “We are really excited about the idea of potentially winning,” rejoices the special education teacher. If her class wins first place, she plans to invest the sum of $5,000 in equipment to furnish the Fabrique’s kitchen and bistro. She would also like to buy games for her students.
His class is made up of adolescents aged 12 to 21 suffering from a mild intellectual disability, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder or language disorders. La Fabrique ESCB allows them to develop professional skills in premises located within the school. “They will cook lunches, meals, and snacks that we can offer for free, or that we will sell in the student bistro,” explains M.me Bernier. Teenagers will also calculate profits, shop at the grocery store, and collect table scraps to make compost.
The culinary workshop not only allows this class to learn, but also to offer a more balanced diet to other students. They can enjoy a smoothie every Friday morning. “Last year, we didn’t have a cafeteria or a vending machine in the school. Often, the students went to the convenience store,” the teacher recalls. Fabrique ESCB therefore offers them healthier and more affordable products.
Food left over after making recipes is regularly reused in other dishes. “And sometimes, when we didn’t sell everything, we gave some away, to avoid waste,” says Mme Bernier.
The initiative also allows teenagers in the CAF class to better integrate into student life. “Students are less embarrassed to be around others during breaks and at lunchtime. I really saw an improvement in the inclusion of these students. It values them, they are proud of it. »
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