Heather Latter
J.W. Walker School soon will be installing “buddy benches” in its playground in an effort to eliminate loneliness, foster friendship among students, and teach the importance of empathy, compassion, and inclusion.
“One of the goals for the school improvement plan focuses on supporting kids to feel connected and a sense of belonging to the school,” noted principal Kevin Knutsen.
He said having done school climate surveys with students, they knew it was an area they wanted to work on.
“We did some research through [the] school council and something that came up was something called a ‘bully’ bench,” Knutsen noted.
This, in turn, led to the idea of a buddy bench, which first was initiated by a Grade 1 student at Roundtown Elementary in York, Pa. in 2013.
“The premise of the buddy bench is for kids who are feeling maybe like they don’t have someone to play with, or don’t have a friend group and are interested, can go and sit on the bench,” Knutsen explained.
“The students are trained that there [are] three things they can do to help make a difference if someone is sitting on the bench,” he added.
“You can ask them to play, you can sit with them, or you can ask them to walk with you.”
Knutsen feels this is needed at the school because there are students who he said will stand alone or by the fence during recess.
“So it gives those kids an opportunity to ask for someone to connect with them without having to do it,” he reasoned.
“And allows other kids to see who those kids are that maybe they could make a difference.
“Just throwing the bench out doesn’t do anything—just gives kids something to sit on,” Knutsen stressed.
“But giving them the teaching behind it that we’re all responsible for helping other people feel connected to the school.”
When the school council looked at how they could get the benches, they decided to ask manufacturing students at Fort Frances High School if they would build them.
“They were very receptive to the idea,” Knutsen said. “We just bought them for the cost of the materials.”
He noted they had three benches made that they’ll install in the spring—one in the Early Years area and two in the larger playground area.
“We will have an assembly where we bring the benches in to show the student,” Knutsen remarked, noting they bring the whole school together every month for a character and strengths assembly.
“So we will make that one of our themes and tie it to anti-bullying and the ‘Day of Pink,’” he added.
Knutsen said he can see the school putting in more benches down the road.
“Even if it helps out and connects one student, then it’s worth it,” he stressed.
The “buddy bench” program has been going at Robert Moore School here since November, utilizing the bench that already existed on their playground.
“The bench is being well used,” said principal Bill Daley.
“If students see someone sitting there, they have been quick to go and ask the student if they want to play with them.”
Daley noted one staff member, who also is a parent of a child at the school, said her daughter came home indicting she used the bench and someone came right over and asked her to play.
“Some students commented that they were going to sit on the bench, but saw someone else sitting there and went and asked them to play,” he said, adding the response has been very positive overall.
“Students are both using it and responding to those that are sitting there,” he remarked.
Daley said the program presently is only for the primary classes, due to only having one bench.
But they plan to have more benches constructed in order to expand the program to include the junior and intermediate students, as soon as the weather allows new ones to be installed.
Daley added the use of the buddy benches supports its school improvement plan’s Community, Culture and Caring overall goal that Robert Moore students demonstrate respect, responsibility, and kindness.
