While enrolled at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, USA, Caroline Lanctot-Bedard fostered a desire to work with children. Graduating from Eckerd in 1990 with a degree in Sociology, she then pursued her Masters degree in Teaching at the University of Miami. Two years later, having successfully completed her program, she began what has become an astonishing career teaching emotionally disturbed children. Caroline has chosen to work in Liberty City, one of the most dangerous cities in Miami, FL, USA.

Caroline’s work has not gone unnoticed. In 1998 she was the subject of a highly-rated television news documentary which aired in her native Canada. She speaks to us now of life with the children, the dangers of the projects, and her dreams of creating a long-term foster care program for emotionally handicapped children.

HB: Tell me a little about the children in your class. How old are they?

CL: It varies from year to year. The kids are anywhere from 5 to 11 years old.

HB: Describe what a typical day is like for you and your students.

CL: Our days are like those in any regular class in terms of the subjects we study. We just have more fights among students, more serious discipline problems, and more interruptions. We also have to restrain students sometimes, and that also interferes with the students’ learning. They’re very unmotivated, so it’s a big challenge for me to get them to care about learning anything.

HB: Some of the children in your classes are very emotionally disturbed. What was one of the scariest moments you’ve faced so far?

CL: One of my kids, who was thirteen years old and very street smart, had also been in juvenile detention many times. He threatened to find out where I live and let his “boys” know. I knew he was old enough and tough enough to do it. But he didn’t go through with it.

HB: What was one of your most gratifying moments?

CL: I have gratifying moments every day. Such as when the kids go out of their way to be nice to each other, when they spend their 50 cents to buy me a candy bar for my birthday, when they hug me, when they make the right choice about what to do in a tense situation, when they get an A on a test…

HB: What do you see as the biggest problem these kids are facing?

CL: Poverty. Broken homes. Violence in the streets. Drugs. All of these go hand in hand. Most of my kids seem to suffer quite a bit from bad parenting or no parenting at all. They see a lot of violence every day, in their neighborhoods, and in their homes. Many of them live in single-parent homes with many siblings from different fathers. Some of my students are in foster care or are in the care of a relative. Often their parents are addicted to drugs, and the kids are exposed to drugs everywhere in their neighborhoods.

HB: What are some ways the children act out their frustrations?

CL: I see a lot of their aggression come out in their treatment of animals. Many of my kids, and even the students in the regular elementary school programs around here, are very cruel to animals. Driving to work every day I always see dead cats and dogs in the streets. Just a few years ago I came across a puppy near the school grounds. She was only weeks old, starving, flea-ridden, with a broken leg and other bruises. I took her home, nursed her back to health, and kept her. As much as it hurts me to see this kind of thing, I can understand what makes these kids do it.

HB: Have any of your kids been caught with weapons at school? Have you ever been attacked by one of your students?

CL: Only one student so far has given me serious problems like this. He had severe emotional problems, and attacked me many times in class. Usually, I would see him as he was starting to charge me, and I could restrain him in time. But once, he caught me off guard and grabbed me by the neck. Luckily I was able to knock him to the ground before he could really hurt me.

Another student once made a knife out of a sharp piece of glass and some metal. No other students have brought in weapons of any kind, though. Now that schools around the country have cracked down on this kind of thing, most schools have had fewer incidents with weapons. Besides, our kids are still a little too young for most of that stuff.

HB: Do you ever find yourself getting too emotionally involved with any of your kids?

CL: I don’t know what “too” emotionally means. Yes, I do get emotionally attached to my kids. I spend eight hours a day, five days a week with the same twelve students. How can I not love them? Once, one of my students stayed with me for over a week because his aunt had left town and nobody could take care of him. He also spent a few weekends at my house; he loved it because my neighborhood is so quiet. He couldn’t understand that kind of peace and quiet, which you and I take for granted. Many of these kids live in houses filled with arguing, in a neighborhood filled with fighting, gunshots and police sirens. There is no peace for them.

HB: Your teaching methods are quite unique, and are not restricted to your classroom. Can you describe them for us?

CL: Well, I want to let these kids experience as much of the world as they can. There is another side to Miami, and I want them to see it. Up until about a year ago, when the kids were especially good, I would plan field trips for them. Sometimes I would take them to a local horse ranch so they could feed and pet the horses. It’s a good way to teach them to respect animals. But some of the best times were when my husband and I would take them to the beach. They absolutely love it. It’s so fulfilling for me to watch them play and laugh. They usually behave better too, because they’re much more relaxed. Sometimes I think my students learn their most important lessons out there.

HB: So, it’s been about a year since you’ve taken your students out on any kind of field trip?

CL: Yes. I had my daughter about a year ago and the adjustment in my schedule has been tough. Of course, I hope to get into a new routine where I can continue this kind of thing. And my other teaching methods are still in place. For example, I’ve had great results with the point system. Students earn points every time they behave well, do well on a test, that kind of thing. Then when they accumulate enough points, they can turn them in for some kind of prize such as candy, pens, books, posters, games…

HB: Do you supply these prizes yourself?

CL: The school pays for all of the prizes in the “point store.” But whenever I take the kids out I pay for them myself - whether it’s dinner at McDonald’s or to see the latest Disney movie. I don’t mind spending the extra money because I know it’s worth it.

HB: Can you tell me a little about the interview you recently had with Enjeux, the Canadian investigative television show?

CL: The segment aired in Canada in September of 1998. They filmed me at home for several days, as well as at school. They also filmed us at the beach on one of our field trips. I’ve heard that that episode was very popular when it aired. It showed a side of Miami few North Americans know about. Most people would never set foot in Liberty City. The cameramen were even a little nervous.

HB: Were the children nervous, too?

CL: No, no. It takes a lot to get these children nervous! They were curious and excited. They were on their best behavior the first few days, but then they got used to the cameras, and the usual fights broke out.

HB: What is your next project?

CL: I would love to open a foster care program for children with behavior problems. I would live with them, and unlike most foster care centers, the children would not be turned out after they reach a certain age. It would be their home. Having a permanent, loving home makes all the difference in life.

HB: Do you ever regret having gotten into this profession?

CL: Never. I love what I do and I look forward to seeing the kids every morning. And I love working in Liberty City. It’s filled with some wonderful people, people who really care about the neighborhood and the kids. Some of the parents and grandparents I’ve met are especially helpful and supportive.

HB: What do you think the future holds for most of these kids?

CL: Some will drop out of school, some will end up in jail, and some will wind up dead. But with positive parental involvement, a few can make in the world. That’s what keeps me going.