Michèle Monette
École secondaire Saint-Stanislas

“So that what young people are taught at school has a stronger and more lasting effect, they must be encouraged to be part of the action,” says Michèle Monette. And to create action, the drama teacher at Saint-Stanislas high school in Saint-Jérôme sets up a multitude of activities and projects. Whether its organizing the major annual variety show, planning school trips or coordinating the Roi et Reine contest, what Michèle Monette strives to do is draw young people out of their comfort zone, and encourage them to surpass themselves and believe in themselves.

Michèle Monette has been helping enhance student life at Saint-Stanislas high school for 15 years now. Described by her peers as an outstanding motivator brimming with contagious energy, “Mrs. Mo” as her students affectionately call her, firmly believes that school should be a place for multidisciplinary education where academic learning and experimentation go hand in hand.

“You often hear of how fostering a feeling of belonging is a key to keeping young people in school. And thanks to collective projects, you can create this feeling of belonging. Although it may be difficult to assess just how much it can curb school drop out rates, I know for a fact that it is a motivating force,” she asserts.

To support her theory, the teacher also underlines the positive impact of the annual variety show, which she instigated and has been in charge of for the past 10 years. As artistic director, production manager and designer, she admits to having seen a long string of students overflowing with talent. Every year, the show features some twenty different numbers performed by approximately fifty students, and then there are all the students who emcee the event, those in the orchestra and the thirty or so others in charge of all the technical aspects.

“We create everything together. I act as guide and assign tasks according to their strengths. Even hosting the show is a joint collaboration. It’s as though the show is a story being told, one that all the students help to write. You should see how proud they look on show nights. It’s wonderful. Even my fellow teachers are surprised to see the students in this new light. It’s a simply magical moment,” she recounts.

Organizing school trips to Europe is yet another way for Michèle Monette to prompt students to leave their comfort zone. After visiting Italy and Greece, she recently headed to France and Spain accompanied by 40 Secondary 2 and 3 students. “Many of them had never travelled before and it just made our expedition even more fantastic. It helps them to become more open to the world and to others. Living together for almost two weeks is not always easy, nor is the period leading up to the trip, with all the fund-raisers and preparations. But they learn a lot and that’s what counts the most.”

As fostering a feeling of belonging at school is one of her main concerns, “Mrs. Mo” also set up the Roi et Reine contest for Secondary 5 students. Throughout the school year, students have to take part in ten different trials requiring various skills (intellectual, athletic, cultural and individual). Then, on prom night, the names of the most dynamic and committed male and female student are unveiled.

“It’s another way of making student life more dynamic and creating our own sort of unique happening at school. Even the students from other levels can’t wait to be in Secondary 5 so that they can participate too,” Mrs. Monette points out.

The high success rate attained at Saint-Stanislas high school over the past few years is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, due in large part to the involvement of teachers, teachers like Michèle Monette.

“When I was in high school I was to lucky to have committed teachers who made a difference in my life and gave me a taste for school. I used to get up in the morning and feel like going to school. It’s only normal that I should want to do the same,” “Mrs. Mo” says in conclusion.

Michèle Monette
École secondaire Saint-Stanislas