Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1095616
How do you build common ground at school when you are so different from one another? We all share common things. Everyone at TFS lives with the same rules – it makes it easier to live together. That's right. Respecting the same rules helps us feel free to express who we are. They teach us the importance of communicating. We need to speak with each other and develop inclusive attitudes and behaviours. We all have a different past, but we need to learn how to live with our own problems and other people's problems. Genetically speaking, we all have an X chromosome, girls and boys. We share half of the same heritage. How can we be curious, respectfully, towards people who are different from us? Use the outdoor buddy bench to meet people and share with them. It's a great tool to meet and communicate with people, especially new students. We should extend the buddy bench concept and add more benches to improve the community – this reinforces the idea of inclusivity. And we should bring buddy benches inside the school as well. A space devoted to common activities would help – activities during recess that can help students welcome new people or get to know each other better. How do TFS societies and clubs give you an opportunity to explore something new, with people who may be different from you? We can become more flexible in our thinking and open-minded. We may not agree with someone, but we can understand their point of view through discussion. Meeting people requires us to make an effort. We can come across surprises, but either way, we will grow through the experience. Other people can inspire us to become better at something. I was having a hard time learning to play hockey, but my friend encouraged me and I'm glad I stuck with it. Q Q Q A A A Now that we've had the opportunity to hear the ideas and thoughts of our students, we asked Michael Burke, Deputy Head, Citizenship and Community Engagement, to speak to the idea of building a unified community, one where disparities in perspective and opinion can also peaceably flourish. This is what he said: "At TFS, we foster an environment where different perspectives and views are encouraged and celebrated. At the same time, we want our students to be able to substantiate and justify their positions through reasoned argument and not just opinion. That's why, in our mentorship program, we use a Socratic method of questions and answers designed to stimulate critical thinking. Our job as educators is to work with students to help them develop their sophistication of language and thought, while always emphasizing the need for respect, tolerance and ethical consideration." Sylvie Lasserre invites dialogue during mentorship sessions. 15 TFS ENTRE NOUS 2019