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...Taken from student surveys.
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Students' testimonials (in their own words) :
Grade 6 students
Grades 7 to 11 students
University students
- Be your own cheerleader because people will come and go but you’ll always be there for yourself
- I learned lots of things like resetting your brain and empowering yourself
- To believe in yourself and look on the bright side of things
- I learned to love and accept myself and to appreciate who I am
- A word can be encouraging
- I loved learning about how to stay calm
- I liked learning about the toolbox to help ourselves when we are stressed
Grades 7 to 11 students
- How much It helped me understand a bit more my brain
- How interactive it was
- The destroying the paper with the bad thoughts written on it
- The energy and passion that is portrayed during the workshop
- I learned to love myself and that you shouldn’t always compare yourself to others because you are you and no one can change that. Also, when a friend is mad, don’t always think, “what did I do wrong?” , because there is a possibility that you didn’t do anything wrong.
- I liked when we wrote negative things that have happened to us or that people have said to us and then ripped it because I got all of my feelings out of my mind and then when we ripped them, I felt better because those feelings that were hidden were gone.
- I learned the power of self-affirmation and positive thinking
- I learned a lot of ways to deal with stress
- I loved the teacher’s energy and the way the class felt connected and the discussions we would have
- I liked how engaging it was and how enthusiastic the presenter was about the topic
University students
- I really enjoyed the tools that were given because they are easy to remember, and it can be redone many times. It can also be done in groups or on your own
- It always made you reflect on yourself more than I would normally do
Teachers' and administrators' testimonials :
"Pat Tramley engages in active listening, reserving her feedback where she deems her words will have impact and meaning. Her empathetic and honest approach combined with her positive attitude contribute to her strong attending skills when dealing with students' mindsets and struggles. Pat is kind, caring and trustworthy so youth naturally feel at ease with her. Students will often ask to speak with Ms. Pat when they need to unburden themselves and seek support."
Rachel Wilson, Principal of Beaconsfield High School 2020-2024
Rachel Wilson, Principal of Beaconsfield High School 2020-2024
"Pat Tramley's empowerment workshop for our grade 7 class was a transformative experience. Pat's engaging and insightful approach to teaching positive self-talk and controlling negativity resonated deeply with each student. Through interactive activities and heartfelt discussions, she guided students in letting go of challenging life experiences and helped them understand the importance of self-love, kindness, and empathy. Students appreciated Pat's enthusiasm and ability to genuinely listen to their concerns and ideas. The workshop equipped students with invaluable tools to build their confidence and empower them to deal positively with challenging situations. I wholeheartedly recommend Pat's workshop to any teacher looking to empower and inspire students."
Rosemary Hill, Secondary One ELA Teacher, Beaconsfield High School
Rosemary Hill, Secondary One ELA Teacher, Beaconsfield High School
This letter is a brief testimony for Patricia Tramley who was a guest speaker in our classroom last week. The students in CFER at Pierrefonds High School are in a pre-work training program which currently has 20 students registered in the program. While the students are not on a typical graduation track, they are learning valuable skills with the goal of becoming autonomous students and productive workers. There are 19 boys and 1 girl ranging in age from 16-21 years of age. Each of the students has different strengths and weaknesses.
From the moment she arrived, Pat was warm and friendly with the students. As a matter of fact, a student who used to read with Pat when she was a volunteer at Clearpoint Elementary School ran to hug her and asked for a photo together. Patricia was incredibly well prepared and organized. She was able to reach this somewhat challenging crowd with activities, personal stories and a message of hope and love. Pat had adapted her presentation since we have a few non-readers in the group and to see a big teenage boy consider a time when he had been hurt by someone’s words and then draw his feelings on a paper was truly remarkable.
One thing especially worth mentioning is the energy Patricia brought to the room. The students were all listening and participating. They had their hands up to share stories and at the end when Patricia played a song of inspiration, something magical happened. The students started coming to the front of the class with their own song suggestions and a playlist was made. I was amazed to see some typically unengaged students get up to share their personal song choice with the class. Patricia has an accepting and non-judgemental approach which appeals to the students. Her presentation is about strength, courage and kindness and offers the student ways to feel powerful and safe. Every class would benefit from having Patricia speak with them and I am so grateful that my students had this opportunity. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.
Colleen Murphy, Teacher, formerly at Pierrefonds High School
From the moment she arrived, Pat was warm and friendly with the students. As a matter of fact, a student who used to read with Pat when she was a volunteer at Clearpoint Elementary School ran to hug her and asked for a photo together. Patricia was incredibly well prepared and organized. She was able to reach this somewhat challenging crowd with activities, personal stories and a message of hope and love. Pat had adapted her presentation since we have a few non-readers in the group and to see a big teenage boy consider a time when he had been hurt by someone’s words and then draw his feelings on a paper was truly remarkable.
One thing especially worth mentioning is the energy Patricia brought to the room. The students were all listening and participating. They had their hands up to share stories and at the end when Patricia played a song of inspiration, something magical happened. The students started coming to the front of the class with their own song suggestions and a playlist was made. I was amazed to see some typically unengaged students get up to share their personal song choice with the class. Patricia has an accepting and non-judgemental approach which appeals to the students. Her presentation is about strength, courage and kindness and offers the student ways to feel powerful and safe. Every class would benefit from having Patricia speak with them and I am so grateful that my students had this opportunity. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.
Colleen Murphy, Teacher, formerly at Pierrefonds High School
“Last night some students were in a French reading competition against other schools. Stress was high but when I went over to give them a pep talk, they were all sitting holding their fingers and saying positive affirmations to themselves. It was truly beautiful to see! Your workshop clearly had an impact!
Emily Araujo, grade 6 teacher Clearpoint Elementary
Emily Araujo, grade 6 teacher Clearpoint Elementary
“I liked the presenter’s positive and enthusiastic energy, as well as her openness and adaptability to students’ uniqueness.”
Jesse Hayes Embarks teacher at Beaconsfield High School
Jesse Hayes Embarks teacher at Beaconsfield High School
