Guest blogger Bruce Thompson

How I became a teacher at Schaller School

I received my Bachelor of Education from Brandon University.  After university, I played hockey as a student athlete for a few years.  Following this, I coached hockey for 11 years at the junior level in Saskatchewan and then coached the U of R Cougars hockey team for five years.

I have been a teacher for eight years at SchallerSchool.  A friend of mine, who was also my assistant coach, worked at Ranch Ehrlo and gave my name to the principal at SchallerSchool.  I went in for a meeting, decided to try out the job, and discovered I loved it.  It’s really rewarding.  I couldn’t think of another thing I would rather do.  An added bonus is that I still get to partake in sports, which is a passion of mine and I also get to share it with others.

Physical activity helps kids stabilize

I see physical activity as therapeutic for the kids, allowing them to relieve stress.  I could see that it connected with them physically and helped them emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Within the SchallerSchool educational program, specifically within the classrooms, we execute a fun and fitness program daily.  I begin class every morning with a class discussion, finding out where the kids are at and establishing a baseline with which to work with each student.  Following that, my class will head downstairs to the gym for their fun and fitness program.  This program, consisting of eight stations, is exercise-based and uses music.  Once they go through the eight stations, they will play a game, which is the fun part according to the kids.

Building relationships

Participating in the fun and fitness program daily helps the students to relieve stress and focus better.  It builds confidence and provides an emotional release for many of the youth.  Participation also helps the teachers and educational assistants get to know the students better, thereby forging stronger and closer relationships, allowing for better interaction and results in the classroom.