PME 801 Collaboration

Problem Brief

Welcoming Syrian Refugees into Ontario and Alberta Schools

Faculty: Doris Cunning

Collaborators: Ambreen Butt and Anna Klepaczek

Context and Proposed Solution in Ontario Schools

As Canadians we take pride in being a welcoming, kind, and inclusive country. Resettling

refugees is an imperative part of Canada's humanitarian tradition. It exhibits to the world that we

have a collective responsibility to support people who are displaced and mistreated. With the

recent atrocities that have been taking place in Syria, four million people have fled the country to

find refuge all over the world. Ontario has welcomed 10,000 Syrian refugees; 50% of which are

children (Ministry of Citizenship, 2016). The Canadian government, private organizations, as

well as volunteers have been helping refugees find permanent housing appropriate health care, as

well as donations for food and clothing. With an influx in the refugee student population in

Ontario, it is crucial that schools are prepared for children who will be entering the

educational system from a situation of grave turmoil. Refugees with limited formal

schooling can be taught using various strategies; in fact, their past experiences and

resilience, may allow them to adapt to a learning environment and language quicker than

other immigrants. Educators must develop an inclusive environment, promote positive mental

health, and draw on refugee students strengths, in order to help them emerge from school as

successful individuals. If given the correct support at this sensitive, transitionary period in their
lives, these students may end up performing at a higher level than the average student when

faced with the real word.

In order to be able to cater to the specific needs of the new refugee students entering

schools in Ontario, it is essential to understand their personal and academic history. During the

2014 to 2015 school year, 51% of Syrian children did not attend school, and in the hardest hit

areas, 74% did not (Sirin & Rogers-Sirin, 2015). The decline of Syrias educational system

suggests that several children arrived to Canada at an educational disadvantage. We have several

English language learners in our schools, which are students whose first language is not English,

or is a variety of English that is significantly different from the variety used for instruction in

Ontarios schools, and who may require focused educational supports to assist them in attaining

proficiency in English (Ministry of Education, 2007). These students may be Canadian born or

could have recently arrived from other countries. After assessments, students are placed in either

an English as a Second Language (ESL) program, which is for students who have had

educational opportunities to develop age-appropriate first-language literacy skills, or in the

English Literacy Development (ELD) program, which is for students from countries in which

their access to education has been limited, and they have had limited opportunities to develop

language and literacy skills in any language (Ministry of Education, 2007). This program would

apply to most of the refugee students coming from Syria, as their schooling has been

inconsistent, disrupted, or even completely unavailable throughout the years that they otherwise

would have been in school. As a result, they are arriving in Ontario schools with significant gaps

in their education. Refugee students can be expected to be behind in many subjects, and will

need to catch up while simultaneously learning a new language. In addition to this, their
emotionally traumatic experiences may effect their cognitive, emotional, and social development

and increase their academic challenges.

School is a pivotal part of a childs life, and the importance of the institute will hold an

even greater magnitude in the life of a refugee student. Many of these students may initially

struggle with the concept of school itself, of literacy even in Arabic, and of finally feeling safe

enough to learn in a building, which will likely not be the target of a bombing. They will bring

with them the confusion of upheaval, startling gaps in education and hidden wounds that will be

the schools job to get help to mend (Brown, 2015). The Peel District School Boards welcome

centres, which have three Arabic-speaking workers, have started to accept donations of gently

used winter clothing, bedding and other necessities for Syrian students. The board has recently

applied for extra funding for settlement help and has begun reaching out to mental health

agencies that can provide counseling to young victims of trauma (Brown, 2015). School will be a

safe haven, a constant amongst all the uncertainty, and an abode where the children can get an

introduction to the new country, culture, and language that they have been placed in. Therefore,

it is crucial that teachers are prepared to help students manage this transition as smoothly as

possible.

Often, if not always, bullying is a cause of the lack of acceptance of differences between

individuals. The student who gets bullied may stand out amongst the class, whether it is

physically, intellectually, culturally, or as a cause of anything that differs them from the norm.

A refugee student will undoubtedly stand out amongst other students. It is the responsibility of

all educators to ensure that the school and classroom environment is inclusive and welcoming for

them. A review of the literature on refugee children in the United States found that Muslim
children are at risk of anti-Islamic discrimination in school settings. Muslim refugee children

have been reported as being bullied and teased for having an Arab-sounding name or expressing

their religious beliefs for instance by wearing a hijab. Exposure to discrimination affected the

children emotionally and socially, which in turn affected their educational success and put them

at an increased risk of dropping out of school (Sirin & Rogers Sirin, 2015). Developing strong

social supports is clearly an essential component of refugee childrens mental health. Specific

recommendations include working to reduce discrimination in the community, educating

teachers and parents on how children display trauma, and increasing resources to help adults

cope with a traumatized childs behaviour. Schools can develop an inclusive environment by

educating the staff and students as a whole on the background of the new students. They can

have Arabic speaking volunteers and interpreters present to assist with communication with

students and parents. It would be beneficial to have the interpreters explain routines and

procedures in the school. It may even be helpful to allow parents (especially of Kindergarten

students) to observe on the first day, in order to help their child ease into their new environment.

Schools should have posters welcoming the new students, as well as signs and labels in Arabic.

If the school works together, they can successfully welcome the new students. Helping them feel

safe and included will be the first step and will increase the rate at which they learn the new

language and other academic subjects in the school.

Educators must be aware that the Syrian students entering the schools may be dealing

with mental health issues as a cause of the trauma that they have suffered. 79 percent have

experienced a death in the family; 60 percent have seen someone get kicked, shot at, or

physically hurt; and 30 percent have themselves been kicked, shot at, or physically hurt. Almost
half displayed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); ten times the prevalence

among children around the world (Sirin & Rogers-Sirin, 2015). Teachers must be sensitive to the

severe conditions that these children have undergone, and cater their program accordingly. They

must be perceptive and sympathetic to behaviours often exhibited by children who have

experienced trauma including, difficulty concentrating, tiredness from lack of sleep, avoidance of

certain situations, irritability, hyper-alertness, exaggerated startle responses, preoccupation with

violence through drawings, in conversation, exaggerated worry about harm coming to

themselves or others, excessive distress about separating from parents (Archer et. al., 2015).

Schools can avoid triggering anxiety among refugee students by taking certain steps. These

include: explaining that the dismissal bells ring every day, assigning a Canadian buddy to each

refugee student, encouraging group work and peer connections, providing a tour and a map of

the school and grounds to family, asking a Canadian family to give the refugee family a tour of

the neighborhood, providing a smaller class in at least one course if possible, and making sure

the refugee student knows about upcoming school events so that they feel included (Archer et.

al., 2015). It will also be important to have appropriate support staff available to help students

with any psychological help. Schools must ensure they have counselors and school psychologists

available to speak to these children. Studies have found that both immediate social settings

(family and friends) and more institutional or general settings (school, work and community)

clearly affected the mental health outcomes of refugee children; those who experienced more

conflict in these settings were at greater risk for mental health symptoms (Sirin & Rogers-Sirin,

2015). Working collaboratively, the school can influence the lives of these new students in a

positive way, helping them bridge the gaps in their education and lead a happy life.
 It is important that teachers remember not to equate the refugee students ability to perform

when they enter the school with their intelligence. Teachers must build on these students

strengths and realize that their adverse experiences may help them adapt to a new language

quicker if given the correct support. Azim Bhimji, an English teacher in Language Instruction for

Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes, says he takes inspiration from the determination refugees

show after going through hardships. He states many of his refugee students adapt faster than his

other students as they have severed ties with their country and have a real commitment to

Canada (Refugees Quicker, 2015). Teachers can draw on the strengths of a bicultural identity,

which these students possess, as it will ease the emotional strain of integration; it can buffer

children from the effects of discrimination. Sirin & Rogers-Sirin (2015) write, educational

outcomes are more positive when children stay connected to their birth country culture, while

simultaneously assimilating to Canadian culture. Students should be given the chance to share

their culture with their peers; furthermore, their background and identity should be appreciated

and incorporated into the classroom in various ways (i.e. posters, books, presentations, special

speakers, allowing the student to speak or write in their native language). Teachers must use

culturally responsive practices in their classrooms in order to give students the opportunity to

connect with one another through their experiences. The resilience of the refugee students could

be used as a learning tool and benefit the rest of the students in the class as well as the refugee

students themselves. Their past experiences may allow them to tackle obstacles, make strong

connections and reflections with various texts, as well as help create a more culturally and

globally aware classroom.

 Educators must help the student reach their highest potential, while providing them with a

caring and safe environment in which they can do so. This can be achieved by creating safety

and routines in the classroom, building connections with students, fostering emotional skill

development, and learning when to refer students for additional support. As a welcoming

environment is created in which the students feels safe to express themselves, they will

simultaneously become receptive to learning a new language, as well as new concepts. The

simplest way to conclude may be with a piece of advise given by a teacher to those who are

teaching refugees, just listen and be on their side (Brown, 2015).

Context and Proposed Solution in Alberta Schools:

In the last several years the world has experienced a refugee crisis unseen in breadth and

scope since the end of the Second World War. The Syrian civil war in particular, a conflict now

into its sixth year, has produced some of the most vulnerable refugees in decades, as a massive

population of Syrians have fled their homeland due to ongoing violence. In 2015, as part of the

Liberal government platform, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau announced that Canada

would put in place efforts to expeditiously assist Syrian refugees to settle in Canada. In 2016

alone, over thirty three thousand Syrian refugees were resettled in Canada, one of the largest
1
single year refugee admissions since 1980 . Amongst the numerous challenges posed to the

Syrian refugees and various levels of government administration, access to and meaningful

participation in the education system has been cited as one of the most critical. With an influx

in the refugee student population in Alberta, it is crucial that schools are prepared for

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/record-number-of-refugees-admitted-to-canada-in-2016-highest-since-1980-1.33
82444
children who will be entering the educational system from a situation of grave turmoil.

Refugees with limited formal schooling can be taught using various strategies; in fact, their

past experiences and resilience, may allow them to adapt to a learning environment and

language quicker than other immigrants.

In 2016 Alberta schools welcomed over 2000 Syrian students. The main challenge that

the school boards were faced with was a mid-year influx of children, and the boards did not

receive provincial per pupil funding from the province because the students entered the schools
2
past the school funding cutoff date . Most refugee children have been exposed to traumatic and

gruesome events that have had serious implications on their mental health, often times

witnessing death of their closest relatives while crossing war zones, or having to take up arms

themselves to fight for their own survival.

Despite the financial struggles, the school boards have been supportive in welcoming the

newly arrived children, and the best efforts have been made to accommodate and provide proper

attention to all. Most refugee children upon arrival do not speak English, and schools across
3
Alberta have welcomed new students with an intense focus on the English classes . The main

goal is to respond to the urgency of the situation by admitting students to schools so they can

immediately attend classes, providing them with basic needs that every student should have

access to. One of the key problems being faced by the education system in Alberta is the lack of

funding to support the influx of refugee students. A need for development of a proper training

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/albertas-biggest-school-boards-welcome-syrian-refugees-but-as
k-forhelp/article30113476/
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/albertas-biggest-school-boards-welcome-syrian-refugees-but-as
k-forhelp/article30113476/
for teachers to address difficult circumstances is still required, to effectively integrate new

students into the schools. There also appears to be no clear cut strategy, from the government

level down to the school board level, on how to address this particular cohort of students, with

teachers being forced to rely on their own networks of professionals and teaching methodologies

to bridge the gaps. Albertas two largest public-school boards are doing their best to welcome

Syrian children, but note that when it comes to funding, education costs are the responsibility of

the provinces. But they also argue the influx of new students has created a set of exceptional

circumstances, and it was the federal Liberal governments commitment to bring in a large

number of refugees in a short time span that has caused uncertainty around their finances and
4
staff resources.

In correspondence with Lynn Hamilton Farrugia, District Consultant on the issues of

Refugee Resettlement for the Edmonton School Board, Lynn noted that there have been

incidents where cultural differences have been difficult to bridge. In Syria, boys and girls tend to

be separated in classrooms and gender equality issues have arisen at times when Syrian boys

have been placed in the school with girls. In some instances the Syrian boys didnt understand

why girls line up first in front of the boys, for different activities, etc. So it takes time to explain

and work through such items, and not all of the students respond well to the explanations, this is

a new country and everything is foreign to them. On top of all that these are children from a

warzone, that have been through unimaginable things, so getting through to them to help them,

its a huge challenge.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/albertas-biggest-school-boards-welcome-syrian-refugees-but-as
k-forhelp/article30113476/
 In an interview with Jennifer Zieba, a teacher at Callingwood Elementary School in

Edmonton, Jennifer noted an example where a Syrian boy had behavioral issues for months, and

nobody in school really registered. And after some time it was learnt that the boy witnessed his

brothers death. But our teachers lack that kind of training to address such issues, so the boys

need wasnt identified earlier on and when it was we struggled on how to address it. Weve also

experienced incidents of racism in the school so education of the local kids is crucial as well, so

they understand who the new kids are and where theyre from, what circumstances brought them

here, etc. There have been physical altercations so its really just managing everyone and trying

to get the education as the priority, but its tough as we dont have the expertise, and we could

certainly use the support of additional resources, staff, experts, etc. In May of this year at Red

Deers Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School, Syrian and Canadian students were
5
involved in a group fight. The incident was reported in local media , and the situation briefly

spiraled out of control with anti-muslim groups converging on the school decreeing a perceived

lack of discipline being imposed on the Syrian students. Incidents of this nature, while in a

discernable minority, do further point out the risks of not addressing some of the issues present

in schools in Alberta attended by Syrian refugee students.

The problems identified by the school boards emanate from two core issues: a lack of

coordination amongst partners in education and a lack of funding. In order to mitigate both, I

would advocate for school boards to create a committee in order to draft a formal proposal

requesting support from both the provincial and federal levels of government. This committee

needs to contain both the public and catholic school boards of Alberta, but also importantly

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/05/23/fight-between-syrian-and-canadian-students-at-red-deer-high-school-sp
arks-protest
involve the active participation of relevant not for profit groups, such as Catholic Social Services

who are key stakeholders in refugee settlement and assistant services in Alberta. In addition, the

committee should contain membership of Syrian and other Arabic community groups who can

lend invaluable information and advice to the committee emanating from their community. It

would also be invaluable to involve the participation of community groups who have previously

triumphed over a refugee crisis, namely Canadian Vietnamese and Somali communities. Lastly,

the committee should involve the media in order to have public participation in the process and

also bring the current issues to light for the general Canadian public.

A proposal drafted by this committee would be a powerful step forward in addressing the

current shortcomings in the education of Syrian refugees in Alberta. It would bring to light the

issues, put pressure on government partners to support the education system financially and by

helping to set the direction, and importantly provide dialogue amongst all of the partners who are

critical in ensuring that Syrian Canadians receive the supports and excellence in education that

all Canadians are entitled to. A key outcome required by the proposal would be financial support

for mid-year year refugee student admissions. The proposal should also require for the Federal

government to provide financial supports per enrolled student, possibly creating a pool of funds

for school boards in order to provide for smaller classes for students, and other applicable

support services. The proposal should also require a commitment for investment in teacher

professional development, hiring or partnership with other government agencies/ministries and

the not for profit sector to provide mental health and expert support in the classroom by

psychologists, speech language pathologists, and other applicable experts. Lastly, the proposal

should provide for a commitment of all partners in education, from government authorities to not
for profits/volunteers and community associations, to assist and provide programs and services to

refugee students.

This investment in some of our most vulnerable citizens is at its core a demonstration of

Canadian values, as our Canadian community is recognized around the world as one that

provides opportunities for all to succeed. It is time for us to reaffirm this commitment, and

support the education of some of the most vulnerable children in our communities.

Related Literature:

Archer, L., Boljuncic, M., Chan, S., Das, C., Friesen, C., Fung, D., & Guzik, C. (2015).
Students from Refugee Backgrounds: A Guide for Teachers and Schools. 4-47. Retrieved April
1, 2016, from
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/diverse-stu
dent-needs/students-from-refugee-backgrounds-guide.pdf

Brown, L. (2015, November 18). Schools Key to Helping Syrian Refugees Settle In. The
Toronto Star. Retrieved February 22, 2016, from
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/18/schools-key-to-helping-syrian-refugee-children
-settle-in.html

Ministry of Citizenship. (2016, March 16). Syrian Refugees: How You Can Help. Retrieved
March 24, 2016, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/syrian-refugees-how-you-can-help

Ministry of Education. (2007). English Language Learners ESL and ELD Programs and
Services. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from
https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/esleldprograms/esleldprograms.pdf

Refugees Quicker to Adapt to Canada than Others Says ESL Teacher. (2015, November 26).
CBC News. Retrieved February 27, 2016, from
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/refugees-esl-class-1.3338548

Sirin, S. R., & Rogers-Sirin, L. (2015). The Educational and Mental Health Needs of Syrian
Refugee Children. Migration Policy Institute, 1-27. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from
file:///Users/ambreenbutt/Downloads/FCD-Sirin-Rogers-FINAL (1).pdf.

Record number of refugees admitted to Canada in 2016, highest since 1980.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/record-number-of-refugees-admitted-to-canada-in-2016-highest-s
ince-1980-1.3382444. Last Revised August 08, 2017.

Refugees post a learning curve for schools.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/albertas-biggest-school-boards-welcome-syrian-
refugees-but-ask-forhelp/article30113476/. Last Revised August 08, 2017.

Fight between Syrian and Canadian students at Red Deer high school sparks protest.
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/05/23/fight-between-syrian-and-canadian-students-at-red-deer-
high-school-sparks-protest. Last Revised August 08, 2017.

Process Account:

Group #2 (Ambreen and Anna) collaborated via WhatsApp Messenger application, where

the research methodologies and the areas of interest were discussed, and the possible

approaches analyzed.

On August 3rd, we have decided it would be best to focus on the geographical areas

(Ontario and Alberta), where the research was conducted, and to later summarize our

inputs to see whether weve arrived with comparable solutions. We thought it would be

beneficial to explore both provinces separately, and compare our findings in order to

arrive with valuable and innovative concept solutions.

From August 4th - 7th, both group members collected data, conducted interviews and

researched the selected problem and previous as well as current solutions that have been

proposed

Annas research consisted of interviews conducted with the Alberta Public School Board

Chairman, Michael Janz, a teacher from Callingwood Elementary School in Edmonton,

Jennifer Zieba, and the EPSB District Consultant specializing in the refugee resettlement

issues, Lynn Hamilton Farrugia, as well as through scholarly readings and newspaper

articles
 Ambreens research was conducted through scholarly readings, newspaper articles, and

interviews with teachers in Peel District School Board.

The group has attempted to engage a professional community of TeachOntario, but

unfortunately we have not received any feedback or input from that portal.

https://www.teachontario.ca/thread/3531

One virtual meeting took place, and it was held on Monday, Aug 07 from 3pm-4pm. The

group connected through WhatsApp Messenger application.

From August 8th - 10th both group members worked on the report, which was completed

in Google Docs where each member submitted their contributions and worked

collaboratively to provide meaningful concept solutions.