LaVol. 19 No.1, Dec. 2018

Special Release

World Conference 2018 7th Biennial Conference

CQJDC (QCCBD) and OIVÉ (IOVS)

La

La foucade is published twice a year by the Comité québé-cois pour les jeunes en difficulté de comportement (CQJDC) [Quebec Committee for Children with Behavior Difficulties, QCCBD]. It is freely available online on our Website: www. cqjdc.org. Its content cannot be reproduced without mentio-ning its source. All ideas and opinions expressed in this maga-zine are those of the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the position of the QCCBD. Therefore, La foucade cannot be held responsible for the opinions expressed in the articles.

Editing CommitteeJean-Yves Bégin, Nancy Gaudreau, Line Massé, editorÉvelyne Touchette, Josée Roy, Graphic Designer

Managing BoardCaroline Couture, PresidentDenise Gosselin, Vice-PresidentMichel Desjardins, TreasurerJacques Dumais, SecretaryIsabelle Claveau, AdministratorNancy Gaudreau, AdministratorDanielle Marquis, AdministratorRosalie Poulin, Administrator Maryse Roberge, AdministratorCamil Sanfaçon, AdministratorBrigitte Wellens, Administrator

Executive Director : Marie-Eve Bachand

Board of Experts :Julie Beaulieu, Professor, UQARClaire Baudry, Professor, UQTR – Quebec CampusClaire Beaumont, Professor, Université LavalJean-Yves Bégin, Professor, UQTR – Québec Campus Vincent Bernier, PhD. candidate, Université LavalJulie Boissonneault, PhD. candidate, Université Laval Caroline Couture, Professor, UQTR – Québec Campus Manon Doucet, Professor, UQACNancy Gaudreau, Professor, Université LavalDanielle Leclerc, Professor, UQTRMichel Marchand, Lecturer (retired), UQARLine Massé, Professor, UQTRÉgide Royer, Professor, Université LavalCamil Sanfaçon, Educational ConsultantEvelyne Touchette, Professor, UQTR – Québec Campus

ISSN 1929-9036 La foucade (Online)

262, rue Racine, Québec, QC, G2B 1E6

Tél : 418-686-4040 poste 6380 adm@cqjdc.org www.cqjdc.org

Special ReleaseFor the first time since its inception, La foucade publishes an English edition. This special issue focuses on the last biennial congress of the QCCJBD held in the context of a world conference in collaboration with the Observatory International of Violence in School (IOVS), the Laval University Wellbeing in school and Violence Prevention research chair, and several partners including the ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur (MÉES). This special release offers articles written by presenters of this international event took place in Quebec City in April 2018.

In the first section, What Does the Research Say?, Catherine Gauthier, Marie-France Nadeau, Éric Yergeau, Line Massé, Nancy Gaudreau and Anne Lessard introduce the relationship between initial teacher training and difficult behavior management practices. In the Regional Highlight section, Sylvie Ouellet presents a reflection about educational approaches supporting the commitment of a group of students from a First Nation Community. In Issue of the Day, Nadia Desbiens and Kathleen Adelaire identify prevention practices related to teenagers’ risk behaviors such as violent games and challenges in the school environment. In the Youth Corner, Caroline Levasseur and Claire Beaumont talk directly to children and teens. They provide advice about ways to get help after a hurtful incident involving other students.A sincere thank you to the speakers, the authors of this issue and the partners who made this conference memorable and made the QCCBD internationally renowned.

The editorial committee wishes you a pleasant reading of this very special release! ■

Table of ContentsA Word From the Executive Director 7th Biennial Conference 2018: an international event! ........................3What Does the Research Say? Theory vs Practice: the Influence of Initial Teacher Training on Difficult Behavior Management Practices...........................................4

Regional Highlight Building a Relationship to Foster Aboriginal Students’ Commitment...7Issue of the Day Challenges and Feats in the Age of Social Networking: Teenage Games or a Phenomenon of Peer Victimization? .................................11Youth Corner How to Get Help After a Hurtful Incident Involving Peers? .........................13

La communauté réunie… pour une éducation réussie !Tightly knit community…successful education !

World Conference / Centre des congrès Québec, Canada, 25-27 APRIL 2018

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A Word From the Executive Director 7th Biennial Conference 2018: an international event!Marie-Eve Bachand

This international event gathered 600 participants from 23 countries from all over the world. Launched under the theme “Tightly Knit Community...Successful Education!” The confer-ence provided a unique opportunity for hundreds of practitioners and researchers to come together, discuss and exchange on numerous questions related to the students’ wellbeing all over the world.

Following this event, the QCCBD chose to launch a special release of its biannual magazine, La foucade. In the hope of providing the opportun-ity for English-speaking communities to access the content of this special edition, some of the articles were translated.

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Chaire de recherche sur la sécurité et violence en milieu éducatifFaculté des sciences de l'éducation

Congrès biennal du CQJDC / Biennial Conference of the CQJDC

Conférence mondiale Violence à l'école et politiques publiques / World Conference Violence in Schools and Public Policies

Congrès InternationalWorld conference

Conference themes• Basic prevention and the global well-being of youth • Help to children in di�culty• School climate and educational success• In�uence of technologies on the lives of youth

Thèmes des conférences• Éducation fondamentale et bien-être des jeunes• Aide aux jeunes en di�culté• Coexistence positive à l’école et réussite scolaire• In�uence des technologies (T.I.C.) dans la vie des jeunes.

Centre des congrès 25 • 26 • 27 Avril/April Québec,Canada

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The Quebec Committee for Children with Behavioral Difficulties (QCCBD) was proud to partner with The International Observatory of Violence in School (IOVS) and the Laval University Wellbeing in school and Violence Prevention research chair, in order to organize the 7th World Conference on «Violence in Schools and Public Policy» and the 7th Biennial QCCBD conference.

To be informed of all the upcoming acti-vities of the QCCBD, visit our website and our different social network pages (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn). ■

Wishing you a pleasant reading, Marie-Eve Bachand, Executive Director

Mark your

calendar!May 6 to May 8, 2020

The QCCBD 8th Biennial Conference will take place from May 6 to May 8, 2020, at the Hôtel Le Concorde in Quebec City.

The event will be launched under the theme «Because everyone is unique!». The organizing committee has already

started to plan this conference that will be beyond expectations!

7th Biennial Conference

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_________1. Master degree student, Département de l’enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire (Department of Pre-School and Elementary Teaching), Université de

Sherbrooke.2. Ph.D., Professor, Département de l’enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire (Department of Pre-School and Elementary Teaching), Université de Sherbrooke. 3. Ph.D., Professor, Département d’orientation professionnelle (Counselling Department), Université de Sherbrooke.4. Ph.D., Professor, Département de psychoéducation (Department of Psycho-Education), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. 5. Ph.D., Professor, Département des études sur l’enseignement et l’apprentissage (Department of Teaching and Learning Studies), Université Laval. 6. Ph.D., Professor, Département des études en adaptation scolaire et sociale (Department of School and Social Adjustment Studies), Université de Sherbrooke.

What Does the Research Say?Theory vs Practice: the Influence of Initial Teacher Training program on Classroom Management Practices for Behaviour Difficulties Catherine Gauthier1, Marie-France Nadeau2, Éric Yergeau3, Line Massé4, Nancy Gaudreau5, Anne Lessard6

Initial training program can be seen as a product of two major components. In general, there is a significant gap between the influence of instructional (the theory component) and that of the field experience (the practice compon-ent) (Korthagen, 2010). As concerns classroom management practices, pre-service teachers rely more heavily on practice than on theory (Bonvin & Gaudreau, 2015). However, it is not advisable that in the context of their training, pre-service teachers acquire knowledge taught by mentors (in- service teachers) who do not them-selves use effective practices (Scheeler, Budin, & Markelz, 2016).

As of today, no study has focused spe-cifically on the influence of the proximal stakeholders of initial training program, such as university instructors, mentor of field experience (teacher associate in the context of internship), and school

staff specialist (e.g., psychologist, psychoeducator, teacher aid) on the adoption of effective practices relating to difficult behaviour management. It is also of interest to reflect on the trajec-tory of the influence of each component in the course of initial teacher training in regular and special education pro-grams. This would allow for identifying the sources of influence that future teachers will base their practices on and for subsequently verifying whether these sources effectively prepare them for utilizing the recommended practices.

Theoretical Framework

The theory of planned behaviour sug-gest that human action is influenced by three types of beliefs, i.e. behavioural, normative, and control beliefs (Ajzen, Lange, Kruglanski, & Higgins, 2012). Figure 1 shows how these beliefs inter-act to influence the action that, in this study, corresponds to the adoption of the recommended difficult behaviour management practices.

Behavioural beliefs refers to what an individual (or a person) believes about a recommended practice and the positive or negative effects expected. Control beliefs refer to the sentiment of efficacy

that a person draws from performing the action. Finally, normative beliefs relate to the person’s perception of a referent’s expectations in regard to the actions to perform (Ajzen et al., 2012). In other words, it is the intent to con-form to the requirements of a reference person. In the context of this study, we focus on normative beliefs that may also be related to persons of refer-ence or sources of influence for pre- service teachers concerning behav-ioural management. For the purpose of this study, the sources of influence refer to the theory and practice components.

Objectives

The objectives of the study are:

1) Describing and comparing thedegree of perceived influence bypre-service teachers of stake-holders of the theory and practiceregarding the adoption of classroom management practices (CMP) forbehavioural difficulties.

2) Exploring the relationships betweentraining program, the year of study,and the degree of influence of eachsource from the theory and practice environments.

Figure 1. Belief organization in shaping action according to Ajzen et al. (2012).

BEHAVIOURAL BELIEF

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A number of practices have been recognized as effective ways to manage difficult behaviour (Gaudreau, 2011), but some of them are either underutilized by teach-ers in the classroom environment or used without due consider-ation for the conditions required for their effectiveness (Gable, Tonelson, Sheth, Wilson, & Park, 2012; State, Harrison, Kern, & Lewis, 2017). In this regard, in-service and pre-service teachers point to a lack of prepa-ration during their initial training program, (Bonvin & Gaudreau, 2015; Buell, Hallam, Gamel-Mccormick, & Scheer, 1999), and more so for regular than spe-cial teaching educa-tion teachers (Hsein, 2007).

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Methodology

A descriptive and correlational research design was used for the purpose of this study. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed on a database from a broader study look-ing at pre-service teachers and CMP for behavioural difficulties (Nadeau, Massé, Gaudreau, & Lessard, 2018); funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council.

■ Participants

The sample includes 1,535 participants (1,426 female students and 107 male students) enrolled in the initial teacher training program for the preschool and elementary level (BEPP, n = 1136, 74%) and the special education program (BASS, n = 399, 26%) in three univer-sities of the province of Quebec. The participants’ average age is 23 years and they are distributed as follows in terms of year of study: 1st = 30%, 2nd = 29%, 3rd = 24%, and 4th = 17%).

■ Method

Questionnaires were completed in per-son, on a voluntary basis, after hav-ing read and signed the consent form approved by the ethics committee of the University of Sherbrooke.

■ Tools

Two questionnaires were used for this study. The first refered to general infor-mation including four items relating to gender, age, program of study, and year of study. The second question-naire measured the perceived sources of influence of three main categories of individuals playing a role during initial training (i.e., university instructors, mentors and school staff specialists). The participants were asked to iden-tify the degree of influence that each source might have on their classrom management practices for behaviour difficulties. A six-point Likert-type scale was used, ranging from 1 (no influence) to 6 (very strong influence).

Results

■ Perceived Degree of Influence by Teachers-In-Training

Results indicate that pre-service teach-ers are moderately influenced by uni-versity instructors and strongly influ-enced by mentors and school staff specialists (see Figure 2). Paired sample t-tests showed significant differences between all sources of influence. The reported degree of influence of univer-sity instructors is significantly lower than that of mentors of field experience (t(1502) = -26.717) and school staff spe-cialists (t(1506) = -33.37).

■Relationship Between Training Programs and Year of Study

With regards to the second objective, three factorial analyses of variance were carried out in order to assess the effect of the training program and the year of study on the degree of influence of the three types of players.

Concerning university instructors (see Figure 3), analyses indicate a signifi-cant difference depending on the year of study (F(7.1464) = 10.15, p = 0.00). Pre-service teachers who were in their

Figure 2. Means and standard deviations for the degree of influence of training players.

* All mean values differ significantly with p = 0.000.

Figure 3. Degree of influence of university instruc-tors over the course of the study program.

Stakeholders involved in initial

M = 4.31*SD = 1.22

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__________References

Ajzen, I. (2012). The theory of planned behaviour. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A.W. Kruglanski, & E.T. Torry (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 438-459). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publi-cations Ltd.

Bonvin, P., & Gaudreau, N. (2015). Prévenir et gérer les problèmes de comportement en classe: Préparation perçue des futurs enseignants suisses et québécois [Prevent and manage behavior problems in the classroom: Perceived preparation of future teachers in Switzerland and Quebec]. Revue des sciences de l’éducation, 37(3), 480-500. Retrieved from https://orfee.hepl.ch/

Boutin, G., Bessette, L., & Dridi, H. (2015). L’intégration scolaire telle que vécue par des enseignants dans des écoles du Québec (ISVEQ) [School integration as experienced by teachers in Quebec schools]. Retrieved from https://www.lafae.qc.ca/

Buell, M. J., Hallam, R., Gamel-Mccormick, M., & Scheer, S. (1999). A survey of general and special education teachers’ perceptions and inservice needs concer-ning inclusion. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 46(2), 143-156. doi: 10.1080/103491299100597

Evans, C., Weiss, S. L., & Cullinan, D. (2012). Teacher perceptions and behavioral strategies for students with emotional disturbance across educational environ-ments. Preventing School Failure, 56(2), 82-90. doi: 10.1080/1045988X.2011.574170

Gable, S., Rothrauff, T. C., Thornburg, K. R., & Mauzy, D. (2010). Analysis of ongoing participation in a child care workforce cash incentive programme in the United States. Early Child Development and Care, 180(6), 719-734. doi: 10.1080/03004430802269018

Gaudreau, N. (2011). La gestion des problèmes de comportement en classe inclusive: Pratiques efficaces [Managing inclusive classroom behavior problems: Effective practices]. Éducation et francophonie, 39(2), 122-144. doi: 10.7202/1007731ar

Hsein, M. L. W. (2007). Teacher attitudes towards preparation for inclusion - In support of a unified teacher preparation program. Postgraduate Journal of Education Research, 8(1), 49-60.

Korthagen, F. A. J. (2010). Situated learning theory and the pedagogy of teacher education: Towards an integrative view of teacher behavior and teacher learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(1), 98-106. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2009.05.001

Ministère de l’Éducation, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche. (2015). Cadre de référence et guide à l’intention du milieu scolaire: L’intervention auprès des élèves ayant des difficultés de comportement [Framework and guide for schools: Intervention with stu-dents with behavioral difficulties]. Retrieved from http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/site_web/documents/education/adaptation-scolaire-services-comp/14_00479_cadre_intervention_eleves_diffi-cultes_comportement.pdf

Nadeau, M.-F., Massé, L., Gaudreau, N., & Lessard, A. (2018). Portrait global des attitudes et des pratiques des personnes inscrites en formation initiale en ensei-gnement à l’égard de l’éducation inclusive et des élèves présentant des difficultés comportementales - Rapport global [Overview of attitudes and practices of people enrolled in initial teacher education with respect to inclusive education and students with behavioral difficulties - Global report]. Retrieved from https://www1.sites.fse.ulaval.ca/fichiers/site_recherche_ng_pfe/documents/1-Rapport_global.pdf

Scheeler, M. C., Budin, S., & Markelz, A. (2016). The role of teacher preparation in promoting evidence-based practice in schools. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 14(2), 171-187. Retrieved from http://www.ldw-ldcj.org/

State, T. M., Harrison, J. R., Kern, L., & Lewis, T. J. (2017). Feasibility and acceptability of classroom-based interventions for students with emotional/behavioral challenges at the high school level. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 19(1), 26-36. doi:10.1177/1098300716648459

first year of study seemed more influ-enced by university instructors (M = 4.50; SD = 1.17) than fourth-year stu-dents (M = 3.99; SD = 1.21).

Concerning school staff specialists (see Figure 4), significant differences were noted depending on the program enrolled in F(7.1467) = 38.55, p = 0.00). Pre-service teachers from regular pro-gram (BEPP) are more influenced by school staff specialists (M = 5.50; SD = 0.74) than pre-service teachers from

special education program (BASS) (M = 5.23; SD = 0.79). In contrast, analy-ses reveal no significant difference between the two programs or the four years of study in relation to the influ-ence of mentors of field experience.

Discussion and Conclusion

This study has revealed that pre-ser-vice teachers are more influenced by stakeholders from field experience

(mentors and school staff specialists) than by the theoretical environment (university instructors). This finding supports a recent study showing that pre-service teahcers feel that their field experience (intership) is more useful than their theoretical training for devel-oping intervention skills in behaviour management (Bonvin & Graudreau, 2015). Our findings also support that among the three types of stakeholders, the influence of university instructors is the only one to significantly decline year over year in the course of the pro-gram. The influence of school staff spe-cialists appears to be most substantial on pre-service teachers of the regular education sector. This result can be attributed to the fact that pre-service teacher training program put greater importance on the academic aspect of scolarization rather than the social aspect (Evans, Weiss, & Cullinan, 2012). They then seek help from specialists to orient their interventions. Overall, the program and year of study are weakly related to the degree of influence of each type of actor. The results indicate that training programs must ensure that effective practices are well embedded in educational settings and that efforts are streamlined to aligning theory and practice. Future research should focus on the relationship between the source of influence and adoption of CMP. ■

Figure 4. Degree of influence of school staff specialists over the course of the study program.

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Regional HighlightBuilding a Relationship to Foster Aboriginal Students’ Commitment Sylvie Ouellet 1, in collaboration with Hocine Hammoud 2 and Alanis Flammand 3

_________1. Professor, Department of Education, University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières.2. Teacher at Otapi secondary school, Manawan (2011-2018).3. Teacher Assistant, Otapi secondary school, Manawan.

Teaching staff are facing a real challenge in relation to Aboriginal students’ academic achievement. Drop-out rates are high (Lévesque & Polèse, 2015) and graduation rates alarmingly low. Despite some improvements for young people with access to postsecondary education, the number of stu-dents in communities complet-ing secondary school remains one of the main concerns for the educational services of Que-bec First Nations communities (Manawan educational servi-ces, 2016).

Cultural differences, communication among educators and with the student’s extended family, and the development of a bilingual program have been identi-fied as priority issues by teaching staff. Lévesque and Polèse (2015) mention the lack of knowledge about history, the cultural trauma experienced by First Nations, and their holistic learn-ing process. These are some of the difficulties that need to be overcome in assisting students to commit to aca-demic achievement and success.

In this context, the educational rela-tionship recognized as being essen-tial to the student’s success (Hattie, 2017; Ouellet & Rainville, 2015) is clearly difficult to establish in the Aboriginal school environment. It is therefore cru-cial to think about ways to improve teaching strategies with these stu-dents that would be conducive to the development of a teacher-student rela-tionship. In fact, engaging in a reflect-ive approach to teaching strategies (Moldoveanu & Campeau, 2016) and classroom management (Gaudreau, 2017) would allow for exploring pre-vention interventions with Aboriginal students. This article puts forward a reflection on teaching and educational approaches with a view to identify-

ing interventions aimed at establishing an improved relationship that would support the commitment of a group of pre-secondary school students.

Developing Knowledge, Especially for Non-Aboriginal Teachers

Lévesque and Polèse’s (2015) synthe-sis of current knowledge on school achievement and drop-out for Aborig-inal students focuses specifically on teachers’ roles in student success. Archambault (2010) and other authors cited in this publication mention the importance of culture and the challen-ging parent-teacher relationship, and they identify the educator as the key determining factor in student learning.

We will start by attempting to answer the question “Considering the chal-lenges, in what way can an authen-tic student-teacher educational rela-tionship improve the young person’s

commitment?” For this purpose, we will present theoretical aspects relat-ing to the educational relationship and teaching practice improvement, while also addressing effective class-room management (Gaudreau, 2017) and Hattie’s book Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learn-ing (Hattie, 2017, French translation). As regards learning, we present the idea developed by Moldoveanu and Campeau (2016) about the relationship between the First Nations Holistic Life-long Learning Model (Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship, 2007) and Kolb’s experiential model (1984).

Educational Relationship

The student-teacher educational rela-tionship is characterized by the trust that develops between the parties. It refers specifically to the feelings of well-being, emotional safety, and psychological freedom described by Rogers’ person-centred approach

Otapi High School students, Manawan Atikamekw Community.

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(Ouellet & Rainville, 2015). Despite the cultural divide, an authentic educa-tional relationship, would enable both students and teacher to build a rela-tionship to knowledge and to mutual learning in a spirit of authenticity and commitment towards education. This relationship manifests as an under-standing of the student’s culture, family environment, and above all, an open-ness rooted in loyalty to the student, and to taking into consideration the student’s strengths and challenges in defining learning expectations and intentions (Rousseau, 2018).

By means of these different rapports between the student, the teacher, and the school, the educational relation-ship – the very foundation of learning – enables the building of the student’s confidence necessary to taking risks and committing to change (Ouellet & Poliquin, 2018). Parallel to this, the edu-cational relationship also depends on effective classroom management by the educator with a view to creating a safe learning environment. A number of authors (i.e.: Gaudreau 2015;2017) highlight the fact that the educational relationship has a direct influence on the student’s learning, commitment, and motivation. Manningham, Lanthier, Wawanoloath, and Connelly (2011) also stress the need to foster a special rela-tionship between the teacher and the Aboriginal student by adopting inter-vention methods, among other things, such as an attitude of openness and the use of an interpreter of the student’s reality.

Visible Learning

The concept of visible learning, pro-posed by Hattie (2017), highlights the teacher’s effect on learning. Within this perspective, the author believes that we must all develop ways of thinking that will influence positively the learn-ing of all students (p. 33). According to this author, effective teaching by way of deeper learning, respectful of the chal-lenges and strengths of each student, increases their success. The educator must be inspiring and an expert in prob-lem-solving, express his or her passion for the student and teaching, as well as his or her respect for everyone in the school environment. Making learning visible helps students to become sensi-tive to the relationship that develops between them and the educator. Gau-dreau (2017) also stresses the import-

ance of further reflection on effective classroom management and the estab-lishment of a climate that is conducive to the development of a relationship of trust and safety in the classroom.

Effective Classroom Management

Gaudreau (2015) identifies five ele-ments to consider in the development of effective classroom management:

1) resource management;

2) clear expectations as regards learn-ing environment;

3) positive relationships;

4) sustained attention and commitment;

5) behavioural deviation management.

Although all aspects of effective class-room management are interrelated and important, the positive relationship factor speaks directly to the quality of the educational relationship by vir-tue of the trust that is being estab-lished between the educator and the students.

In order to establish this relationship, it is essential to get to know the stu-dents, their culture, family or social environment, and to understand the role played by these factors in their learning. This is particularly true in the Aboriginal context.

The Teacher’s Effect on the Learning of First Nations Students

In her research, Archambault (2010) has singled out a number of factors relating teachers and learning to Aboriginal student success and motiv-

ation. Two of the five factors identified by Lévesque and Polèse (2015) have been considered, namely the teacher being the most impactful factor on student learning and the fact that a third of the students who enter the secondary level with at least a year’s delay subsequently drop out (p. 26). These two factors are directly related to the teacher’s role with the student.

Archambault (2010) stresses that improving knowledge focused on trad-itional education and pedagogy of First Nations is one action among others that would contribute to understanding how to establish a positive educational relationship, and hence support First Nations youth commitment. One of the aspects brought up by a number of researchers is the challenge of inte-grating traditional knowledge with a view to attributing greater meaning to learning. Consequently, the appropri-ation of the First Nations Holistic Life-long Learning Model would be a per-tinent, if not indispensable, approach to adopt for teachers in Aboriginal communities.

Two Models to Learn About and Explore

According to education stakehold-ers who are part of the Manawan Atikamekw Council (CDAM, 2016), the value of education must be recognized and promoted within the commun-ity and within families. This begs the question of what education is being referred to. In our view, the holistic learning model (CCA/CCL, 2007) should be the starting point of any reflection on a pedagogy designed specifically for this group of students. From the perspective of First Nations, education is a holistic lifelong endeavour. Stewart (2016) specifies that it is a path leading to a process of healing, towards know-ing or recognizing one’s identity.

Within the First Nations Holistic Life-long Learning Model (CCA-CCL, 2007), the individual attains a state of har-mony once he or she learns to recon-cile the spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional dimensions. Learners are their own masters and the teacher is there to provide support. Within the experiential model (Kolb, 1984), learn-ing includes four stages enabling the integration of one’s lived experience and knowledge: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract con-

Among positive relationships, Gaudreau (2015) lists an attitude of kind openness, respect for individ-uals in all circumstances, activities involving cooperation and peer help, positive and sustained com-munication with students’ parents, using humour, relationship preser-vation through reparation (restora-tion-reparation), and recognition of every person’s qualities (p. 4).

December 2018 La 9

ceptualization, and active experimen-tation. According to Moldoveanu and Campeau (2016), these two learning models, the First Nations Holistic Model and the Experiential Model, offer a hybrid approach bringing to the fore all dimensions of the learn-er’s experience to start the learning process. This approach is in line with developing an authentic educational experience inasmuch as it focuses on the young person’s experience, culture, understanding of the environment, and above all, acquired knowledge that is necessary for creating conceptual links.

In the following section, we examine the process of a pre-secondary level educator1 teaching in a First Nations community and we offer some avenues for improving his practice by building an authentic educational relationship with the students.

Illustration of the Process of Change

Based on continuing training and a pedagogical project launched in April 2017, our approach has been to explore a number of intervention strategies derived from the First Nations Hol-istic Lifelong Learning Model (CCA\CCL, 2007) and Kolb’s Experiential Model (1984) and to apply them to the context of First Nations communities (Moldoveanu & Campeau, 2016). As previously mentioned, these models are complementary on the pedagogical level and they put forward a concept of learning through experience that allows for attributing meaning to inter-vention and for supporting the stu-dent’s commitment. The exploration of these approaches is presented to illus-trate the pedagogical process experi-enced in working with the students.

The Educational Initiatives and Pedagogical Interventions Implemented

This pre-secondary school class included 17 students aged between 13 and 14, two thirds of whom experi-enced behavioural or academic dif-ficulties. This is a transition period for them. Following the First Nations

Holistic Lifelong Learning Model (CCA\CCL, 2007), in the first month of the school year, we took the time to create a climate for learning by decorating the classroom with posters that the stu-dents chose and that reflect Aboriginal culture, their ancestral roots, and their teenage interests. The students made drawings of eagles and bicycles, post-ers about hockey, and so on.

In parallel, we reviewed the class rules, discussed their pertinence and the rationale behind them, and stressed the need to uphold them. Based on the experiential approach inspired from Kolb’s model (1984), students took part in discussions for classroom rule development. We settled on a final ver-sion, drafted in Atikamekw and French, and on rules to govern the functioning of the class community. Expressions such as Kwei (hello), Mikwetc (thank you), and Matcaci (good bye) were dis-played on the walls. Showing interest in their language, culture, and especially

the willingness to talk with them, has helped to make them feel important.

Observing that 75-minute long classes were too long for them, we decided to establish a 10-minute free activ-ity concentration time before starting the class, which could involve read-ing, drawing, or discussing topics that were of interest to them. This period of calm allowed to prepare the activity to follow and the material, and to get the students ready for learning.

From the onset, we noticed that stu-dents disliked reading out loud. In order to overcome this challenge, we suggested reading in pairs and tak-ing turns to ask comprehension ques-tions. Some students had difficulty answering comprehension questions in writing, which are part of the sug-gested end-of-chapter exercises. We proposed the alternative of making a drawing instead and explaining what it depicts.

Kinikiw, who doesn’t meet the requirements to go on to secondary level, is clearly a true leader in the group of young people that he belongs to. His influence over other students is sometimes positive, sometimes negative. Kinikiw has plenty of energy, he is always active, but lacks clear direction. Sometimes he crosses the entire classroom to go tease another student or simply to take a pencil without asking permission and if met with resist-ance, he is able to respond with a degree of violence. For example, when the bell rang, if he was not among the first in line, he would push the other students to the side in order to be the first one to leave the room. At other times, Kinikiw behaves with wisdom and responsibility, he talks about his family with respect and tenderness as though he were the head of the family. From the start of the school year, there was a need to pay special attention to this young boy. Together with the teacher assistant and the social worker, we took a number of measures to help us understand his functioning and to help him on his way to success. The class teacher kept a daily log in order to follow the pedagogical changes. In order to put to use his leader qualities, he was assigned a special place and a number of tasks, such as marking student presence and acting as class co-represent-ative. Always present, he likes to be of service and likes to be centre stage. He works assiduously when he has someone sitting with him. He always hands his assignments on time and defends his ideas with conviction. We therefore implemented a number of initiatives and measures in order to help him feel safe and to become conscious of his strengths and challen-ges, and to develop his self-esteem. It is our feeling that the educational relationship with Kinikiw continues to progress, day after day.

For the purpose of illustrating the changes introduced in the educational relation-ship and pedagogical intervention, we provide the following example of an inter-vention with a student, whom we will call Kinikiw.

_________1. This section was drafted in collaboration with the educator.

10 La December 2018

__________References

Archambault, H. (2010). Quels sont les facteurs favorisant ou inhibant la réussite éducative des élèves autochtones? [What factors promote or inhibit the edu-cational success of Aboriginal students?]. First Peoples Child & Family Review, 5(2), 107-116. Retrieved from: https://fncaringsociety.com/sites/default/files/online-journal/vol5num2/FPCFR_Journal_Vol5_Num2_2010.pdf

Conseil des Atikamekw de Manawan – CDAM. (2017). Mémoire présenté au ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec dans le cadre de la consultation sur la réussite éducative, Équipe des services éducatifs du CDAM, Manawan.

Conseil canadien sur l’apprentissage/Canadian Council on Learning. (2007). Modèle holistique d’apprentissage tout au long de la vie chez les Premières Nations [Holistic model of lifelong learning among First Nations]. Centre du savoir sur l’apprentissage chez les autochtones, Université de Saskatchewan. Retieved from http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/RedefiningSuccessInAboriginalLearning/.

Gaudreau, N. (2015). Prévenir l’indiscipline par une gestion de classe efficace [Prevent indiscipline through effective classroom management]. La foucade, 15(2), 3-5.

Gaudreau, N. (2017). Gérer efficacement la classe [Manage the class effectively]. Québec, Canada : Presses de l’Université du Québec.Hattie, J. (2017). L’apprentissage visible pour les enseignants: Connaître son impact pour maximiser le rendement des élèves [Visible learning for teachers:

Maximizing impact on learning]. Québec, Canada : Presses de l’Université du Québec.Hébert-Houle, É. (2017). Étude de cas du programme Avativut au Nnunavik : Décoloniser pour mieux engager les élèves [Case study of the Avativut program

in Nunavik: Decolonizing to better engage students]. Unpublished master’s thesis, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada.Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Lévesque, C., & Polèse, G. (2015). Une synthèse des connaissances sur la réussite et la persévérance scolaires des élèves autochtones au Québec et dans

les autres provinces canadiennes – Rapport de recherche [A synthesis of knowledge on the academic success and perseverance of aboriginal students in Quebec and other canadian provinces – Research report]. Retrieved from http://espace.inrs.ca/2810/1/CahierDIALOG2015-01-R%C3%A9ussitepers%C3%A9v%C3%A9rancescolaires-Levesque%202015.pdf

Manningham S., Lanthier, M., Wawanoloath, M., & Connelly, J. A. (2011). Cadre de référence en vue de soutenir la persévérance scolaire des élèves autoch-tones à la Commission scolaire de l’Or-et-des-Bois [Terms of reference to support the perseverance of aboriginal students at the Or-et-des-Bois school board]. Retrieved from https://uqat.ca/telechargements/info_entites/manningham_et_al_nov2011.pdf

Moldoveanu, M., & Campeau, D. (2016). Les approches pédagogiques pour soutenir la réussite scolaire des élèves autochtones [Pedagogical approaches to support the academic success of aboriginal students]. In M. Potvin, M.-O. Magnan, & J. Larochelle-Audet (Eds.), La diversité ethnoculturelle, religieuse et linguistique en éducation: Théorie et pratique (pp. 197-205). Anjou, Canada: Fides Éducation.

Ouellet, S., & Rainville, A.-C. (2015). Les stratégies pédagogiques créatives en enseignement pour favoriser la relation éducative [Creative pedagogical tea-ching strategies to foster the educational relationship]. In S. Ouellet (Ed.), Relations éducatives et apprentissage (pp. 87-96). Québec, Canada: Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Ouellet, S., & Poliquin, N. (2018). Un regard sur l’enseignant créatif, comprendre la relation éducative et l’importance de son rôle auprès de l’élève [A look at the creative teacher, understanding the educational relationship and the importance of his role to the student]. In S. Ouellet (Ed.). Soutenir le goût de l’école - Le plaisir d’apprendre ensemble (pp. 211-230). Québec, Canada: Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Rousseau, P. (2018). Faire vivre le curriculum, soutenir le goût d’enseigner [Live the curriculum, support the taste of teaching]. In S. Ouellet (Ed.), Soutenir le goût de l’école. Le plaisir d’apprendre ensemble (pp. 231-243). Québec, Canada: Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Findings to Share

Throughout the year, adjustments were made in order to improve classroom management and the educational relationship between the teacher and teacher assistant, and the students. These initiatives, tested in class, would remain factual, even anecdotic, unless they are shared within the school team. Consequently, the following sugges-tions for initiatives and strategies can be shared with the school team:

1) reviewing the program in collabora-tion with the teachers who spend a lot of time with students with a view to harmonizing our expectations and intervention methods;

2) developing trust in students and aiming to optimize their potential;

3) sharing our success stories with students;

4) developing a shared vision with col-leagues by discussing best practi-ces and challenges;

5) working to create a movement from the school towards the community.

Conclusion

By developing an improved under-standing of a student’s challenges and a closer relationship between the teacher and the parents, we were able to set in motion changes in ours practi-ces. These changes are based on rec-ognizing the effort made by the student to commit to academic progress and on an authentic interaction with him, while manifesting genuine trust in his poten-tial. In addition, by taking into consider-ation the culture of the student from the start of the school year, we developed a reflection on the cultural approach to education. Special attention was paid to cultural disparities and learning the indigenous mother tongue has played a key role in implementing changes in our practices.

Our experimentation included two types of intervention, the First Nations Holis-tic Lifelong Learning Model (CCA\CCL, 2007) and Kolb’s Experiential Model (Kolb, 1984). Educational intervention based on the First Nations Holistic Life-long Learning Model influences class-room management, namely prioritizing positive relationships, has helped us to become aware of our impact on

the young Kinikiw’s motivation, commit-ment, and success. The pedagogical intervention based on experience and, more specifically, on developing independence, helps to recognize the student’s potential.

A number of actions or interventions might seem self-evident to most teach-ers. However, in the Aboriginal context, issues of educational relationship con-tinue to be sensitive and remain a mat-ter of concern. Positive relationships between youth, parents, the commun-ity, and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teachers are yet to be built. Hattie (2017) underscores the pertinence of paying attention to developing a coher-ent vision on the school team level, the need to share successful practices, and the effect that a teacher can have on student achievement. ■

December 2018 La 11

Issue of the Day Challenges and Feats in the Age of Social Networking: Teenage Games or a Phenomenon of Peer Victimization? Nadia Desbiens1 and Kathleen Adelaire2

_________1. Ph.D., Full Professor, Department of Psychopedagogy and Adult Education, Université de Montréal.2. Psychologist and doctoral student, University of Liège, Belgium.

Adolescence is a period of discov-ery and experimentation during which youth are likely to take risks (Greene, Krcmar, Walters, Rubin, & Hale, 2000). Risk-taking is a natural process inas-much as it constitutes a new way of exploring one’s capacity and redefin-ing one’s limits (Zuckerman, 2007). The feeling of being invincible and the bravado that are characteristic of adolescence further enhance the attractiveness of certain behaviours that adults disapprove of (Millstein & Halpern-Felsher, 2002).

The search for identity, the desire to test the limits, to experience new sen-sations, and to defy authority are all factors that drive teenagers to inten-tionally experiment with risky behav-iour (Cui, Colasante, Malti, Ribeaud, & Eisner, 2016). The risky behaviours that usually emerge in adolescence are tobacco and cannabis smoking, drinking alcohol, unprotected sex, and impaired driving (Cattelino et al., 2014).

Identifying At-Risk Youth

All adolescents are likely to exhibit risky behaviour in order to experience pleasure, escape, including from wor-ries, and defy authority. However, some adolescents may engage too intensely and consistently in one or several of these behaviours. What they seek is a thrill and to test their limits in the face of danger.

To date, the scientific literature has focused on psychoactive substance use, binge drinking, which consists in drinking a large quantity of alcohol over a short period of time with the intention of rapidly becoming intoxicated, and the practice of extreme sports, among other things (Miller, Naimi, Brewer, & Jones, 2007). The phenomenon is of course worrisome because of the likelihood of adverse consequences, such as injury, psychosis, prosecution, death, and because most of the time,

these practices are carried out without adult supervision and under the gaze of peers.

Adolescents who repeatedly engage in dangerous behaviour often experience social and family contexts character-ized by risk factors that induce deviant behaviour, such as family conflicts and coercive parent practices (Feinberg, Solmeyer, & McHale, 2012). Studies have shown that it is mostly boys in search of strong sensations, with low self-esteem, and likely to present behaviour and mood disorders, that are at risk (Braams, van Duijvenvoorde, Peper, & Crone, 2015; Coolidge, Den-Boer, & Segal, 2004).

Aside from family influences and per-sonal vulnerabilities, the choice of val-ues, friends, and groups that they asso-ciate with are among the determining factors that can lead to risk taking (Greene et al., 2000). Peer approval can be an important motivation for young people who are looking to satisfy their need for peer recognition.

The Influence of Social Media

Some of the risk-prone behaviours that young people deliberately engage in is mainly motivated by a need for peer recognition and this includes taking up challenges and showing prowess, for example. And what is the point of exploits if there is no one to witness them?

In the age of social media, most risky behaviours are filmed and posted on social media in order to impress friends and win acclaim. Youth are thus tempted to take it a little farther every time in order to secure the most striking image and the greatest number of reac-tions to boost their popularity (Patton et al., 2014). The list of these challenges is long. It may include physical prowess, the use of dangerous substances, and even a daily challenge under the super-

vision of a “tutor” that can go all the way to incitement to suicide (Mukhra, Baryah, Krishan, & Kanchan, 2017).

The impact produced on others (anx-iety, fear, concern, and admiration) is an important source of motivation for youth who are in search of recogni-tion and self-esteem enhancement, but risk-taking can also be a response to pressure from peers. This is the case with certain challenges involving the acceptance of intentionally inflicted aggression from a group, such as “foot-ball trash,” which consists in having the ball go between a participant’s legs and then beating him up.

Despite the element of playfulness, willingness to take part in these activ-ities, and awareness of the rules and the risks involved, it is undeniable that physical and psychological violence is being inflicted with a view to humiliat-ing or hurting the victim for the group’s entertainment (Ybarra, Espelage, & Mitchell, 2014).

Those teens who accept to partici-pate are more or less consenting. They do this to gain acceptance within a group or to avoid retaliation (harass-ment). Finally, other challenges involve non-consenting victims who are designated as scapegoats to bear the group’s violence (repeated slapping, forced undressing, and surprise attacks for example). In general, scenes of aggression are filmed by a third party and disseminated by the members of the group among themselves on their smartphones.

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12 La December 2018

Only Teen Games or a Phenomenon of Peer Victimization?

In a context where violence among youth, in particular intimidation, is an issue of concern in Quebec (Le Blanc, 1999), it is all the more important to address the phenomenon of violent games and challenges. Some of these may indeed be part of the victim-ag-gressor (or aggressor group) relation-ship pattern. In addition, whether they are intended or not by the participant, these challenges and violent games have consequences that can be ser-ious and potentially deadly (Andrew & Fallon, 2007). It can certainly be said that the teens who are the victims of these practices exhibit traumatic disor-ders (depression, anxiety, revivification of the traumatic event, and suicidal ideation for example).

In light of the examples presented in this paper, we observe the importance of distinguishing risk taking motivated by pleasure, self-affirmation, and rec-ognition seeking from practices that teens are pressured into by their peers (challenges) or conditioned by violence among peers, in which case they are characteristic of harassment (Bowen, Levasseur, & Desbiens, 2014).

It is currently difficult to evaluate the scope of this phenomenon because scientific knowledge is limited and empirical data on this issue is alto-gether nonexistent in Quebec, although

it is possible to draw on studies relating to intimidation and harassment. This is why our research team has chosen to produce a study on this worrisome and poorly researched phenomenon.

While awaiting the results of this research that will help us to better understand the motivational and psych-ological factors involved in participat-ing in dangerous and violent games, we stress to practitioners the need to be vigilant about signs indicating that young people might have taken up challenges or are victims thereof in order to be able to direct them to the appropriate forms of assistance.

What Are the Best Prevention Practices With At-Risk Youth in the School Environment?

First of all, let us underscore the import-ance of not publicizing the challenges that are in vogue by directly addressing the issue with youth or by proposing a class activity on the subject of vio-lent games and challenges. We must keep in mind that not all young people are involved in these games or even discuss them among themselves. Our intention must not be to awaken the curiosity of teens who do not feel con-cerned by the phenomenon.

Any preventive action in the school environment must be carried out in collaboration with professionals from

school boards and integrated into an overall violence prevention plan and in schools’ educational project, with emphasis on kindness for one another and positive leadership (Bowen, 2014). It is important to raise awareness among youth about the processes that are an integral part of adolescence and about the risks and consequences related to the use of social media, while insisting on strengthening external pro-tection factors, such as healthy inter-personal relationships and engaging in pro-social activities.

We should prioritize interventions that are conducive to preventing psych-ological distress, inspiring youth to be more caring with one another, and fostering social and personal skills, in particular expression of emotion, stress management, seeking help, conflict management, and problem solving.

In addition, schools must ensure that sentinel networks (adults trained in identifying vulnerable youth and dir-ecting them to assistance for example) and school staff are available and vigilant about signs of distress and mental health problems (repeated fail-ure in school, isolation, absenteeism, attention deficit, frequent crying, out-bursts of anger, loss of interest, anx-iety, self-injury, violence, and suicidal thoughts) in order to quickly and effect-ively identify and refer at-risk youth to the appropriate services. ■

__________ References

Andrew, T. A. & Fallon, K. K. (2007). Asphyxial games in children and adolescents. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 28(4), 303–307. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e318148bdb2

Bowen, F. (2014). Créer des communautés scolaires bienveillantes : Quelques éléments de réflexion [Creating benevolent school communities: Some food for thought]. Paper presented at Conférence du Réseau des donateurs pour la paix, Montréal, Canada.

Bowen, F., Levasseur, C., & Desbiens, N. (2014). L’agressivité et la nature humaine : Perspectives évolutionniste et éthologique du développement de l’intimidation [Aggression and human nature: Evolutionary and ethological perspectives of the development of bullying]. Revue québécoise de psychologie. 35(3), 63-88.

Braams, B. R, van Duijvenvoorde, A. C. K., Peper, J. S., & Crone, E. A. (2015). Longitudinal changes in adolescent risk-taking: A comprehensive study of neural responses to rewards, pubertal development, and risk-taking behavior. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(18), 7226-7238. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4764-14.2015

Cattelino, E., Glowacz, F., Born, M., Testa, S., Bina, M., & Calandri, E. (2014). Adolescent risk behaviours and protective factors against peer influence. Journal of Adolescence, 37(8), 1353–1362. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.09.013

Coolidge, F. L., DenBoer, J. W., & Segal, D. L. (2004). Personality and neuropsychological correlates of bullying behavior. Personality and Individual differences, 36(7), 1559-1569. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2003.06.005

Cui, L., Colasante, T., Malti, T., Ribeaud, D., & Eisner, M. P. (2016). Dual trajectories of reactive and proactive aggression from mid-childhood to early adolescence: Relations to sensation seeking, risk taking, and moral reasoning. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(4), 663-675. doi: 10.1007/s10802-015-0079-7

Feinberg, M. E., Solmeyer, A. R., & McHale, S. M. (2012). The third rail of family systems: Sibling relationships, mental and behavioral health, and preventive intervention in childhood and adolescence. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 15(1), 43-57. doi: 10.1007/s10567-011-0104-5

Greene, K., Krcmar, M., Walters, L. H., Rubin, D. L., & Hale, L. (2000). Targeting adolescent risk-taking behaviors: The contributions of egocentrism and sensa-tion-seeking. Journal of adolescence, 23(4), 439-461. doi: 10.1006/jado.2000.0330

Le Blanc, M. (1999). L’évolution de la violence chez les adolescents québécois: Phénomène et prévention [The evolution of violence among Quebec adoles-cents: Phenomenon and prevention]. Criminologie, 32(1), 161-174. doi : 10.7202/004731ar

Miller, J. W., Naimi, T. S., Brewer, R. D., & Jones, S. E. (2007). Binge drinking and associated health risk behaviors among high school students. Pediatrics, 119(1), 76-85. doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-1517

Millstein, S. G., & Halpern-Felsher, B. L. (2002). Perceptions of risk and vulnerability. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 31(1), 10–27. doi: 10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00412-3

Mukhra, R., Baryah, N., Krishan, K., & Kanchan, T. (2017). ‘Blue Whale Challenge’: A game or crime? Science and Engineering Ethics, 1-7. doi: 10.1007/s11948-017-0004-2

Ybarra, M. L., Espelage, D. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2014). Differentiating youth who are bullied from other victims of peer-aggression: The importance of differential power and repetition. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55(2), 293-300. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.02.009

Zuckerman, M. (2007). Sensation seeking and risky behavior. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

December 2018 La 13

Youth

Corner

How to

Get

Help After a

Hurtful In

cident Involving Peers?

Did you know that in 1989, the United Nations recognized the inalienable right of every child and adolescent to attend school and to develop in a healthy and safe environment? The good news, shown in research, is that violence in Quebec high schools has decreased between 2013 and 2017, and that the general perception of the school climate has remained positive according to thousands of surveyed students, special education teachers and parents (Beaumont, Leclerc, & Frenette, 2018). However, despite these positive results, there are still too many young people who are victims of occa-sional or repeated peer aggression at school (UNESCO, 2017). Table 1 shows the percentage of Quebec teens who have been victims of different forms of aggression at school or online in 2017.

Oftentimes, it is the distress, helpless-ness, and the feeling of having no value in the eyes of others that leave a mark, more than the act itself (Lereya, Copeland, Costello, & Wolke, 2015). Some teens will prefer to miss school than face these negative emotions. In order to avoid this turmoil, it is import-ant to know who to turn to for help

if you experience hurtful incidents at school or online.

Who to Turn to for Support?

Despite repeated recommendations, in Quebec, only one in three teens who experienced aggression at the hands of peers spoke about it to a person they trust (Levasseur, Beaumont, Frenette, & Leclerc, 2018). Did you think that teens only confide in their friends? Well, no! When they do confide, they

talk to more than one person. Finally, in general, three out of four teens who speak up confide in an adult. Table 2 indicates specifically who they turned to.

Why Asking for Help?

Strategies such as responding with aggression, avoiding certain places, and ignoring hurtful situations can seem useful, but they don’t empower you in your situation. On the contrary, they often generate more negative

Youth Corner How to Get Help After a Hurtful Incident Involving Peers? Caroline Levasseur1 and Claire Beaumont 2

__________

1. Chaire de recherche sur la sécurité et la violence en milieux éducatifs—SEVEQ Postdoctoral (Fellow, Research Chair on School Safety and Violence), Université Laval.

2. Full Professor, Département d’études sur l’enseignement et l’apprentissage (Department of Teaching and Learning Studies), Université Laval. Holder of the Research Chair on School Safety and Violence.

Few adolescents turn to teachers for help when they are expe-riencing difficulties in their rela-tionships with their peers. Yet, hurtful incidents (insults, threats, blows, social rejection, false rumours) that occur at school or online can damage personal and social life, and even academic achievement. Fortunately, after seeking help, teens who were victims of such behaviour have been able to find assistance from a friend, their parents, school staff, or professionals outside the school. IT IS THEREFORE POSSIBLE TO ASK FOR HELP AND TO RECEIVE HELP!

Table 1. Aggressive behaviour that Quebec secondary school students were subject to in 2017

Occasionally(1-2 times/year)

Frequently(2-3 times /month +)

Insults/ name calling 5 out of 20 teens 3 out of 20 teens

Gossip to keep friends away 4 out of 20 teens 1 out of 20 teens

Deliberate pushing 4 out of 20 teens 1 out of 20 teens

Online humiliation 1 out of 20 teens 0.2 out of 20 teens

Table 2 Persons of trust that teens confided in about hurtful incidents

A friend: 6 out of 10 teens

A parent: 5 out of 10 teens

An adult at school: 4 out of 10 teens

A professionnal outside of school: 1 out of 10 teens

14 La December 2018

as well. They have an external per-spective on the problem and this can make them seem as though they didn’t understand what is so hurtful about the actions concerned. It may also seem to you that adults ask useless questions or that it takes too long before there is any follow-up. The process may be complex, but they need this information in order to suggest solutions that are best suited to your needs.

How to Get Satisfactory Solutions and Feel Better?

During adolescence, we sometimes fear that confiding in a member of the school staff might make the situation worse (de Lara, 2012). For example, you may be concerned about how you will be perceived in class after having told an adult what you have experienced. You may also fear retaliation from the perpetrators or simply that the adults that you can turn to and you have differing expectations about the way to put an end to your difficult situation.

This is why it is important to clearly express your concerns, your desires, and what you do not wish happening. Would you like to speak to the students who are harassing you? Do you want them to take action to repair what they have done to you? Would you like to have more supervision in certain places around the school so that you would feel safe? Would you like to be accompanied when you tell your par-ents about this, if you haven’t done so yet? You must not hesitate to express your expectations. After all, it’s your well-being and your safety that are at stake!

consequences (escalation of violence, anxiety, feeling of helplessness, and so on) (Visconti & Troop-Gordon, 2010). If you ask for help concerning a rela-tionship problem with your peers, however, you can get support (being heard, encouragement) and resources (procedure, means) to put an end to the situation. In order for it to be effective, your request must be appropriate for the gravity of the situation, properly expressed, and addressed to the right people (Newman, 2008).

Is it worth talking to someone about aggressive behaviour that you are the victim of or that you witness at school or on the Internet? The support that you get from a friend or a par-ent can help to appease the distress, anxiety, or anger that you might be feeling because of the hurtful situation (Boulton, 2013). However, in seeking support from an adult at school, you have a better chance of getting the situation to stop (Frisén, Hasselblad, & Holmqvist, 2012). In a nutshell, if you ask for help, you will find not only com-fort, but also a way out of the hurtful situation.

In What Ways Can the Adults at School Help You?

Quebec schools must offer a pleasant and safe learning environment to stu-dents. This is why each year, they have to implement an action plan to prevent and deal with violence at school and online. A number of the approaches outlined in this action plan can only be initiated in response to a request for help (or on the basis of information shared by a witness or a person that the victim has confided in).

In fact, the adults at school can inter-vene only if they are aware of the inci-dents that have occurred. For example, they need to know whether this is the first time that a victim is experi-encing aggression, or the violence has occurred on a recurring basis for some time, the places where incidents take place, and so on (Waasdorp, Pas, O’Brennan, & Bradshaw, 2011). This is how they can observe and understand the severity of what you have experi-enced and find suitable solutions for you.

Here are some things to keep in mind in order to get the most out of the support

that adults at school can offer and to put an end to incidents with peers:

Asking for help is not the same thing as “reporting.” Asking an adult to help you when you have been the victim or witness of violence is making sure that the situation doesn’t repeat itself. As long as your intention is not to cause trouble or unduly punish another student, asking for help is a positive action. There are obstacles that might make you think twice about asking for help for yourself or for another student. For example, it can be humiliating to talk about certain situations. You may also feel that you are going against the established order that protects silence. This is why talking about hurtful inci-dents that you’ve experienced or wit-nessed at school is first and foremost an act of courage.

Asking for help is the first step to solv-ing a problem. Keeping quiet or hoping that with time things will get back to normal are not effective ways to put-ting an end to harassment inflicted by peers. Talking with a friend, a parent, or a resource person can contribute to putting the situation into perspective. A person who has your trust can also help you to identify the means that you have at hand in order to prevent hurtful incidents from reoccurring. Even when the person you trust doesn’t really know how to help you, you can ask him or her to assist you in finding other sources of help.

Help from an adult can lead to dur-able solutions. Although it is true that most adults recognize the importance of creating a pleasant environment in schools, they can seem heavy-handed

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I Get Involved and I Contribute to Creating a Positive Climate at My School

Asking for help is much easier at a school where there is a positive cli-mate (Levasseur, Beaumont, Frenette, & Leclerc, 2018). Unsurprisingly, you would find it easier to ask for help if the atmosphere at your school is pleasant. It is crucial to feel heard and respected

if you say that you have suffered or wit-nessed hurtful incidents. This is what a positive school climate is about!

You can contribute to creating such a climate by becoming involved in the school’s social life and by participating in committees and activities that will help you to build relationships of trust with friends and adults. In addition, by helping others and sharing positive attitudes with peers in regard to ask-

ing for help when facing relationship challenges, together you will build a climate of mutual support. ■

__________ReferencesAssemblée des Nations-Unies (1989). Convention relative aux droits de l’enfant, résolution, 20 novembre 1989 [Convention on the rights of the child, resolution, novem-

ber 20th 1989]. Retrieved from https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/dih-traites/INTRO/540?OpenDocument Beaumont, C., Leclerc, D., & Frenette, E. (2018). Évolution de divers aspects associés à la violence dans les écoles québécoises 2013-2015-2017 [Evolution of various

aspects associated with violence in Quebec schools 2013-2015-2017]. Québec, Canada: Chaire de recherche sur la sécurité et la violence en milieu éducatif, Faculté des sciences de l’éducation, Université Laval.

Boulton, M. J. (2013). High school pupils’ understanding of peer counselling and willingness to use it for different types of bullying. Pastoral Care in Education, 32(2), 95-103. doi: 10.1080/02643944.2013.861505

Boulton, M. J., Smith, P. K., & Cowie, H. (2010). Short-term longitudinal relationships between children’s peer victimization/bullying experiences and self-perceptions evidence for reciprocity. School Psychology International, 31(3), 296-311. doi: 10.1177/0143034310362329

de Lara, E. W. (2012). Why adolescents don’t disclose incidents of bullying and harassment. Journal of School Violence, 11(4), 288-305. doi: 10.1080/15388220.2012.705931Frisén, A., Hasselblad, T., & Holmqvist, K. (2012). What actually makes bullying stop? Reports from former victims. Journal of Adolescence, 35(4), 981-990. doi: 10.1016/j.

adolescence.2012.02.001Leraya, S. T., Copeland, W. E., Costello, E. J., & Wolke, D. (2015). Adult mental health consequences of peer bullying and maltreatment in childhood. Lancet Psychiatry,

2, 524-31. doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1201-5Levasseur, C., Beaumont, C., Frenette, E., & Leclerc, D. (2018). La divulgation de victimisation par les pairs au secondaire [High School Peer Victimization Disclosure].

Paper presented at 7th World Conference Violence in Schools and Public Policy , Québec, Canada.Newman, R. S. (2008). Adaptive and nonadaptive help seeking with peer harassment: An integrative perspective of coping and self-regulation. Educational

Psychologist, 43(1), 1-15. doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1201-5UNESCO. (2017). Violence et harcèlement à l’école: rapport sur la situation dans le monde [Violence and bullying at school: Report on the situation in the world]. Paris,

France: Author.Visconti, K. J., & Troop-Gordon, W. (2010). Prospective relations between children’s responses to peer victimization and their socioemotional adjustment. Journal of

Applied Developmental Psychology, 31(4), 261-272. doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2010.05.003Waasdorp, T. E., Pas, E. T., O’Brennan, L. M., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2011). A multilevel perspective on the climate of bullying: Discrepancies among students, school staff,

and parents. Journal of School Violence, 10(2), 115-132. doi: 10.1080/15388220.2010.539164

In a nutshell, the positive climate that you contribute to create at

school when things are fine will provide the support needed when

the going gets tough!

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