Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 01/99) - Before Mildred Hall teachers went back to school Aug. 30, they got a chance to get some training themselves.

For the first time, the Lion's Club program -- Lion's Quest -- was held in Yellowknife.

Area Lions covered the $8,600 bill plus accommodation costs to bring in a facilitator from Saskatoon, Sask.

"It's been a wonderful idea because it gives teachers the opportunity to work together and to share so many ideas," said Mildred Hall principal Marion Barnes.

"It's also giving us steps to where we're going to take the school in the future."

Barnes said the two days of workshops provided teachers with the opportunity to think together about solutions to concerns with how to best provide a healthy learning environment.

"This isn't a program on discipline. This is a program for healthy living," Barnes said.

"We talk about creating a healthy environment where they can learn emotional and social skills."

Barnes said there needs to be a certain amount of discipline to create a healthy learning environment but the workshop itself was focused more on empowering students.

Teachers broke into small groups and learned how work most effectively as parts of a small group.

"Group roles can make the task much easier," said facilitator Carmen Bussiere.

"In groups, we're not going to laugh at someone for saying something. There are no put downs just put ups, and put ups are compliments."

Bussiere said groups can work most effectively if members' roles are well- defined.

There's a leader who keeps the group on task, a recorder who records group ideas, a reporter who reports the group's findings, a collector who gathers materials and puts away materials and a timekeeper who keeps the group on deadline.

"All these roles are valuable and will mean that the group can accomplish a lot in a limited amount of time," Bussiere said.

"Also, it gives the group confidence. For example, if a child is a timekeeper, he has a job to do and a responsibility."

Lion's organizer Terry Pierce said the charitable organization had been trying for a while to bring the program into Yellowknife.

"It provides lifeskills for teachers and gives them information and background," he said.

"We raised the money from our annual truck raffle."