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6-Oroiio Weekly Times, Wednesday, June 17, 1981 Students counsel students at Bowmanville High School The following is an article that appeared in "Education Ontario", a publication of the Ontario Ministry ' of Education and refers to the formation and operation of a groups known as Teens'Actively Teens'Actively Coaching Teens. The group operates at the Bowmanville High School." The foot-high letters on the bulletin board at Bowmanville Bowmanville High School wish everyone "good luck in your exams". The tone was distinctly that of one student talking ta another. And that was exactly exactly what it was. Bulletin boards are among, the many tasks of Bowmanville's 16-student TACT group (Teens Actively , Coaching Teens), which has completed its first full year of operation. TACT was the brain-child of guidance counsellor Joanne Murray, who had experienced experienced peer counselling at O'Neill . Collegiate in Oshawa. Based On the theory that "teens react on teens", this relatively new technique requires a deft touch from counsellors who must keep track of what is going on, intervene intervene when necessary but refrain from interference, and provide sympathetic help when it is required. Ms. Murray reports that peer counselling at Bowmanville Bowmanville differs a little from that at O'Neill - "both systems are tailored to meet the needs of their own schools." Nevertheless, Nevertheless, O'Neill staff has "been helpful throughout", starting with a group of student student counsellors who, spoke at a senior assembly to get the idea started in Bowmanville. At first, Ms Murray reports, some of the 55 teachers on the Bowmanville staff were less than enthusiastic. enthusiastic. They foresaw a number of difficulties, pone of which occured, and teachers now frequently refer problems and problem students to the TACT groups,. / So far TACT members have been chosen by the four full-time guidance counsellors from student applications. applications. Although TACT members will probably choose their own successors in time, a method to ensure broad representation will have to be found. Aside from representation TACT members have been chosen from Grades 11, 12 and 13 on the basis of a desire to help other people, on their general good sense, and, up to a point, on their academic records. Their school work has to be good enough to allow a lot of time to be devoted to .TACT. At present, > the TACT group consists of fourteen girls and two boys. "We're .not worrying about that," says Ms Murray. Both St. Catharines and Oshawa counsellors - who have" older peer counselling programs -advise that such imbalances right themselves over a period of time. "Next year, the new ones may be all boys." The first task after choos ing the TACT members was to provide in-service training, most of which was scheduled for after school. There was also, however, a camping weekend. "Everything went wrong", says Ms Murray, "which at least gave us a feeling feeling that we'd been through a lot together." The TACT group has its own office in the Guidance Department in the 1200 student student school and has worked out a schedule so that at least one members is always on duty duty during school hours. Here they deal with crises as they arise: a self-conscious loner who needs friends, a student failing in one or more subjects, subjects, or in some cases more serious problems. . One TACT member, for example, was on duty when a Grade 9 student poured out a problem for which a rather sheltered background had not prepared the older girls. "Her initial reaction was shock," said Ms Murray, "but she's a kind person and she was able to handle it perfectly." In this case, as in many others, the TACT member asked advice from a guidance counsellor before a second meeting. "In fact, they turn to us for advice by choice," says Ms Murray, adding, adding, "and we like it that way." Sometimes problems outside outside the TACT mandate turn up in the student office. Another TACT member was faced with a worried Grade 9 student trying to decide on a career. The TACT member asked enough questions for the young student to identify her own main area of. interest, interest, then called in a guidance counsellor. "We can always rely on their common common sense," Ms Murray explains. explains. Ms Murray believes that many problems are better handled by a student than by an adult. "I've forgotten what it feels like to be a 14 -year old girls who wasn't asked to the big dance of the year - a 17-year old remembers." Another problem that TACT members handle well is the "class trouble-maker". In search of attention and approval, approval, this kind of student is often daunted by a noticeably unimpressed older student. TACT members, coached by guidance counsellors, do more than look umimpressed - they also offer constructive ways to attract the attention of classmates. The TACT members often become noticeably protective of their difficult charges. One of them described a boy she had' been "buddying" as "not having very good', marks". A guidance counsellor, viewing thé mat" ter from an adult perspective, amended this slightly: "he didn't have a mark over 30". The TACT member said that, after nearly a year of buddying, buddying, he has "really been doing much better". Yes, said the counsellor, "He isn't sent out of class as often and he has passed a couple of subjects," Buddying and tutoring are , twO activities carried on outside outside the TACT office and often outside school hours. In the main, they are successful. successful. * They can be assigned through TACT office encounters, encounters, as a result of teacher referrals, student requests, requests, or of one of the regular meetings of TACT members and guidance counsellors. Often, in the case of tutoring, tutoring, the subject teacher offers unlimited assistance as to contént and method. For buddy arrangements, Ms Murray keeps track and often gives advice. "Generally, the sympathy and attention given by the TACT member is just what's needed." TACT also handled orientation orientation day for Grade 8 students last spring "we organized it the way wé wanted it", said a TACT member. The TACT organization leaned more heavily on student .clubs and how to get along with others than on academic matters. However, guidance counsellors felt that the new Grade 9 students entering the school last fall were : "noticeably more confident" than ip previous years. TACT members were on hand for this occasion as well. Some TACT duties take the members outside the school. One member has been asked to sit on* a regional council concerned with drug abuse and she has been able to bring in both speakers and information for the use of other students. TÀCT members also become acquainted with social agencies agencies * available in the town. "They'd never refer anyone without telling us." said Ms Mûrray. Nevertheless, the in- Letter to the Editor I live in the Orono Estates, which is a subdivision of 81 homes. My family and I bought our home four years ago. Wé have since been told by the health department that we have septic problems. This advice and permit to repair cost me $75.00. This is a problem problem that most of our subdivision subdivision has. The Orono Estates were built, eight years ago by a contractor contractor who has gone bankrupt . Some of the homes spetic beds were redone while under guarantee at the government ' s insistence • I am a second buyer and my home has no guarantees. We have a quote of $1492.00 to repair our septic bed. Our local government passed passed the inspection for these septic beds. Another department department of our local government is now condemming our septic septic beds and is demanding them to be fixed at the homeowner's expense. My home now has a work order and cannot be sold unless repaired. My conscience conscience wouldn't permit me to sell I) What ever happened to love thy neighbour as thyself? Renit Dias, 62 Andrews Rd., Orono. formation is often useful in encounters that occur in the TACT office.