Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Project, in May 2023, undergraduate student Renee Mutare (SFS’24) interviewed a teacher, Mr. Ashley Rodriguez, at St. Martin de Porres (SMDP) in Belize City, Belize. In this interview, the teacher discusses the lasting impact of Project HEAL in the local community.
Firstly, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Mr. Ashley Rodriguez. I'm 23 years old. I am still fairly new to the teaching profession; however, I have been at it for three to four years. This was a genuine passion, and it's in my background because one of my parents was in the profession all their life and also about to retire. So yeah, it's a part of me.
Can you describe your relation to Project HEAL?
Being that I'm here at St. Martin's and Project HEAL is here at St. Martin's, as a teacher, I identify students who I see may be struggling with their background or their home environment, and I refer them to Project HEAL and the counselors. Project HEAL can work with those children so that we can see some improvement in their behavior and academics in the classroom.
And what has teaching at St. Martin's been like for you?
Very fun and amazing and very real because you do get to see a lot of the struggles that these kids go through and the hardships they experience in the home, along with their parents. And I come from the South Side, what people call the ghetto, right? So I am familiar with how hard life can get, as well. So, it's something I feel like I can relate to. And so, St. Martin’s has been a place where they are comfortable and can relate better to the people in the environment.
But if you don't mind me asking, were you once a student here at St. Martin’s?
No, I was once at St. Ignatius, which is also down more east, but it's on the south side, as well.
What do you think is most needed in the St. Martin’s community?
The love. The love and outreach, that is what the community really needs.
In what ways is Project HEAL responding to these needs that you just mentioned?
They are working with the community, and how they're working with the community is through the school. They start with the kids, and then they reach the parents, and that is how they are helping the society.
Do you think that there are ways that they're not responding to the needs that you just mentioned? Is there any room for growth?
Well, no, I would say they're doing a fairly good job because the kids are the future, you know. And if we can help them, then the future will get better.
When I say the word "heal," what comes to your mind?
To get better.
Do you think it's your responsibility to help the students, parents, teachers around you to heal from traumatic experiences?
I would say, somewhat neutral. I mean, I can't take full responsibility for it, but, I mean, they are in my classroom, they are people I work with, and trauma will affect them and their behavior, how they respond here in the school, in the work environment. So, I mean, if I can assist, yes, because then that makes it better for all of us.
How do you think social-emotional learning and counseling applies to the content that you're teaching them in class or the structure of the classroom?
Well, there are areas such as a subject we have called health education, and they have some topics that focus on friendship, relationships, good emotions, bad emotions, feelings, and all of that. And the counseling ties in with that because, I feel, when they come over here, they get a piece of that, you know, so they understand themselves better, take certain things better, and are able to even understand the relationships they have among themselves, and then the relationship they have with their teacher, and then their relationship the teacher has with the parent, you know.
So, and then, in addition to that, just every day, whatever it is through the group work, their friends that they go with during recess, you know, conversations they have, all of that comes into play, and you'll see how the counseling helps them in learning to work better with people who come from different backgrounds. You know, [some] may not even come from this community, and that's important because then, that's the main reason I believe school is here for. Because then, when they get older, they have to be out there in the world, and they're going to be [interacting with] all sorts of people.
Are you told to include social-emotional learning in your curriculum? Is this a personal decision?
It's placed there by the ministry. They place those topics in a specific subject, and we have to cover those.
Do you receive any training to help or identify students that might require counseling services?
I wouldn't say so, you could say yes, a bit, but I think it's also just from experience and just being a teacher. You could identify a child who is struggling based on simple behavioral issues they may have or the way they behave, the way they interact with others, that something's not right.
So, the school does not offer any training?
We had. We do have workshops every now and again, and there is one as well that is coming up where we have to be able to identify abuse, whether it's verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. So those trainings help us look out for and assist to identify kids who are being abused. Being here at St. Martin’s, we have this [Project HEAL] here; it's a big help because then we can direct them to these professionals, and then they work with them and assist them.
And how do you proceed once you have identified a student that is in need of any form of help?
So, in terms of Project HEAL, they gave us the forms; they have the forms. So, we get to know our students at the beginning of the school year. We look at them, and after getting to know them a little and developing a relationship with them, they reveal things about themselves, and their encounters are truthful. And then we say, okay, there's something going on here. And even the parents who have concerns, we can just refer it and fill out a form stating issues like behavioral problems, what we know is going on in the home personally, and then we send it to the admin or vice principal of lower division, and then she will refer to them. And they take it from there, and they will come and take the child out of class every now and again when they have an appointment.
What does the school allow you to do? To what extent does the school allow you to enroll a student in counseling who is exhibiting constant behavior? What are the margins?
And I mean, I don't think there's any limit. I mean, it can be a minor problem, or it can be something major. But, once you as a teacher feel that the child needs help, however, we can't just enroll the child in the counseling without parents’ consent. So, parents do have to consent first, and we can refer. And then, once a parent gives their consent, then we can go ahead. And if the parent doesn't, then we can't do anything. So, I guess that's not a limitation with the school but with parents.
How has the counseling program influenced the overall well-being of students and maybe even families within the community from your perspective?
I would say there's been a very good effect. And because they also communicate with parents, and parents have been very open, you know, and it makes them feel more comfortable to share what is going on. And then, you are able to understand better what is going on with the child and then be able to work better with the child to accommodate their needs. You know, because all we want them to do is learn and pass and, you know, be the best they can be. So, then the best part is that the parents, then they share. They share, they're open, and they let us know what's going on, and that makes it much better because some parents are really closed up, and that makes the relationship rocky.
Have you noticed any positive changes in the students behavior or attitude since the implementation of the counseling program?
I would say, yes. I had one boy, when he came in September. Goodness, he didn't want to do nothing... I would say, he's such a sweet, sweet boy. He's gotten so sweet. And now, you know, he's doing his work, and he's trying, and he's making an effort, you know, he's improving. He's improved a lot. There is another girl. She had a terrible attitude problem. Of course, it stemmed from home. She just started a while back. But she wants to go to counseling. She wants to go. And it's helping her because she had poor sportsmanship, and now she's working much better with her classmates and her peers. And that's all I wanted. So, yeah, it's allowing these kids to improve.
What feedback or insights have you received from parents regarding the counseling programs impact on their children's lives?
They have said it's helped. They have. They've really appreciated the help and assistance because they have also seen the improvement in their child. There was one parent who was a bit shaky about letting her child into it because, you know, maybe she feared what the child would have shared, you know, and we don't know what they do to children sometimes in the home, but now he is getting it, as well. And I see the improvement in his behavior, as well.
So, I remember you mentioned that you teach some of the social-emotional learning within the classroom, and, looking into the future, what does your vision of social change in education look like?
Social change in education, in terms of what?
In terms of individual behavior, even what you teach. What do you think the students could possibly gain in the future or could possibly aspire to in terms of social-emotional learning, in terms of behavior and character changes, in terms of what you are teaching in the classroom, as well?
I would say.. What I see that... I would say, let me see. The inclusion of all these topics in the curriculum will give these children, seeing that they are learning all of these things at that very lower level now, right? Because some of us didn't understand what feelings are and all of that at the age they're learning it now. You know, it's allowing them to understand themselves way better, right, and communicate way better, right? So, when they get older, or they go to higher level school, they're able to work better with others and then pass on what they know to the ones that come below. Yeah.
Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to me about your experience with Project HEAL. Is there anything else that you would like to talk about that I didn't ask?
Project HEAL is good. I'm glad, because not all schools here in Belize have Project HEAL. I have been to more than one primary school where I've taught, and they don't have this opportunity. And St. Martin’s is the only one where, I know, because I've been to other Catholic schools, and they don't have this. There's a lot of other schools out there that would really benefit from a program like this. And they help a lot of students. They really do help because there's a lot of kids struggling, there are a lot of parents struggling, and there's a lot that these kids are seeing at a very young age. It's horrible sometimes, the stories you hear, you know, and then we deal with all of that. You know, sometimes it's like you're raising them before you can actually teach them, because then, like at home, nothing is happening. And so it's like the school is doing everything, school is home, basically, for these kids.
Thank you so much for your time.
