A GOVERNMENT primary school has introduced a new method of study for children whose behavioural problems are hindering their education.

The Alternative Centre for Education (ACE) at Victor Scott Primary School caters to ten such students, who were enrolled in the programme when it was first offered last September.

The specialised curriculum, which "emphasises experiential learning through field trips, hands-on experience and smaller class sizes" this week received an unexpected boost from local wireless service provider CellularOne. The company is supplying internet access and wireless phone service to help the students' learning experience.

School principal Gina Tucker said she was "excited" about the donation and hoped other businesses would be equally as responsive.

"Technological skills are extremely important in today's world, and our students will benefit from fast, easy access to all the information that is available on the internet. We are now looking for other businesses in the community to donate laptops to the ACE programme to provide our students with the advantages that come with computers and the internet in the classroom. The ACE programme is in continual development and we are working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the needs of children in this programme are fully met."

Targeted towards children in primary two through six, the ACE programme was established in response to the "struggles" they faced in the traditional classroom setting.

"What we found here at Victor Scott, was that there seemed to be a growing need for an alternative programme, another way for kids to access the curriculum," explained Gladnora Ming, the teacher in charge of the scheme.

She said that it was not uncommon for school kids to end up at the principal's office but that many who did at Victor Scott, had a problem in common.

"Many said they had acted up because they were having difficulty learning and so what we have tried to do is to encourage them to learn but more through hands-on experiences and field trips."

Mrs. Ming admitted it was "too soon" to determine the degree of success but acknowledged that "certainly, some of the behaviours have improved".

"If they've been in school for five years and it's not been a fun place for them to be ? there are subjects they haven't mastered, there are issues of low self-esteem ? in one term, it won't happen," she said.

Part of the programme's appeal is that it builds self-esteem by focusing on a child's strengths.

"Several have great computer skills. We had a plumber come in and some of the boys took to that like fish to water. We have some good readers, we have some who are good at maths ? and we tell them to ask each other for help. We're generally trying to build some respect in the group. To show them how in society we need to work to find out what we're good at, what we're passionate about and try and make a living out of it in order to be productive."

Marketing and retail manger for CellularOne, Diana Winfield said the company was "thrilled" to be involved in the programme.

"The programme educates children in a supportive environment where they are encouraged to explore their interests and identify their talents. As our business is driven by technological advancements, we share a common interest with many of the students participating in the ACE programme who have demonstrated great technical aptitude. By providing these students with wireless telephone service and broadband access, they will have the communications tools they need to support the learning process while also benefiting from the latest technology."

Mrs. Ming described a recent trip to the Corporation of Hamilton, during which a workman questioned why the students were being shown his duties when they would probably want to work in an office setting.

Said Mrs. Ming: "It's important that they're exposed to everything. Even if they don't want to do it themselves, it teaches them respect for other skills."

The teacher added that the class is taught as much as a group as possible with individual attention given where necessary.

"We only have one teacher and a para-professional but we also have specialists who help," she said, adding that where a given topic might be the focus of one lesson, it was typically catered to each child's level of comprehension.

The pair also receives help when needed from the school's Learning Support Teachers who cater to children with Independent Education Plans (IEPs).

"Generally they look after children who have fallen behind, many of whom have learning disabilities," she explained. "One thing about the public system is that we service all children. There is no special needs school for them as there once was, so we have to cater to children with varying abilities. The children in the ACE programme are all behaviourally challenged. They're very excitable children."

The children's parents have all thrown themselves completely behind the school's efforts, she added.

"I don't know if other schools have a similar programme involving mixed age groups, but we decided we needed to at least try it for our school. It's better than seeing a lot of children sitting outside the principal's office for behavioural issues. The parents have trusted us. We went to them and explained how their child could benefit. Basically, they support us 100 per cent.

"Wireless telephone service allows us to stay in constant contact with the main school building as we are located in a different part of the schoolyard. CellularOne's YAK phone service also allows us to communicate with parents, who are an integral part of the ACE programme since they work closely with us to help their children remain focused on learning. In addition, CellularOne's support of the ACE programme through internet service is important because it offers at-risk children the opportunity to learn on the go as they conduct offsite field trips and to succeed in an environment that is challenging, interesting and inspiring."