THE HEAVY LIFTERS - Stanstead College

Stanstead College promotes its small
class sizes as a learning advantage. But for
some students, even small classes aren’t
enough to succeed academically.
Sometimes students need more.
That’s where the Learning Resource
Centre comes in.
New this year on the fourth floor of
Colby, the LRC offers students support,
strategies and resources above and beyond
the classroom.
“We’ve always had students with special
needs and we’ve tried to meet them in the
classroom, through extra help and tutoring,”
says Director of Academics Louise
Retchless. “But it could be hit-and-miss.
Now we have a specific resource that adds
Ottawa Alumni Reunion
November 1, 2007
Heart & Crown
In search of the “Aha!” moment:
new Learning Resource Centre at Stanstead College
one more approach to success.”
The LRC operates five evenings a week
during Study – two nights dedicated to
Math/Science, two nights to organizational
strategies and one night to Humanities.
The centre also offers ESL and TOEFL
support.
Based on recommendations by teachers,
advisors and the Director of
Academics, specific students are scheduled
in at half-hour slots on designated
evenings. Other students squeeze themselves
in, maybe just once or twice, in
search of specific help.
“A lot of students say, ‘Can I come in
tonight?’” says teacher Rachel Foster, who
runs the centre along with Meaghan
Fullerton and Darija
Rabadzija. “They
might not have a
learning issue but are
prepping for a test. Or
they’ve come from
another school or
country and they have
a gap in their learning
and just need some
help catching up.”
As of February 4,
the LRC had seen 54
individual students for
a total of 450 hours.
The rationale for
the LRC is not to allow teachers to pass
the buck. Teachers and tutors still offer
extra help, especially in terms of course
content. What the LRC specializes in is
strategies – helping students achieve that
“Aha!” moment.
“Kids learn in different ways. When it’s
one-on-one, it’s easier to use different
strategies that work for them,” says
Rachel, whose background is in Special
Education and Math/Science. “Ultimately,
we want them to use these strategies so
they can study on their own.”
Some kids, she says, are easing back on
attending the LRC and are seeing their
grades go up.
“It’s made a big difference,” says Grade
10 student Ryan Bedard, who’s been getting
Math help at the LRC, at first on
teacher’s orders, now by choice. “I find it
easier with individual help. Mrs. Foster’s
words just seem to stick in my head.”
While there is a risk of stigma being
attached to the Learning Centre, Rachel
says that tends to fade when kids see students
like Ryan actually improving their
grades.
“I don’t want this to be a punishment,”
she says. “I want this to be a place where
kids feel they can succeed and where they
know there’s someone here to support
them.”
Ryan Bedard, Grade 10, goes over math problems with Rachel Foster in the
Learning Resource Centre.