Founded in 1984, Glen Eden Multimodal Centre is a unique school and clinical treatment centre for children with complex needs. The mother of a former Glen Eden student speaks on the transformative effect of the program:
“Right from the beginning, school was tough for our son. Although a very bright kid, he was not able to work to his full ability because of an overwhelming sense of anxiety all day long. He had difficulty attending a full day of school without a blowup or two.
“Our son went to a total of 4 different schools in the district — some of which were better than others - as well as homeschooling. One school in particular was very good and our son was thriving. Unfortunately, he was transferred to another classroom where the new teacher didn’t use any of the recommendations from the previous school. That teacher had a rigid system that each student had to follow. Unfortunately, it put too much pressure on our son and he was told that another school would be more appropriate.
“We visited Glen Eden and, although their philosophy takes getting used to because it’s different than any other school, I have to say — It works! Instead of trying to fit our son to their program, they spent a lot of time getting to know our son, noticing when he’s more relaxed and when he’s more agitated. They set him up for success by having him do schoolwork in those scenarios that he’s more relaxed in. They never phoned us to come and pick him up because he wasn’t faring well. He developed many deep relationships with the staff. In his own words:
‘When I first came to Glen Eden, I had no hope. I didn’t think I’d be successful. You gave me hope and now I can see that I can be successful. I couldn’t have done it without you.’
“Admittedly, I was nervous during the first year, wondering if he was doing enough schoolwork. In hindsight, I had no need to be nervous. Over time, as the anxiety lessened, our son’s motivation increased ten-fold. He caught up in his work much faster than I could imagine. He became clear in the goals he was working toward and is very motivated.
“He has now completed his fourth year at Glen Eden. He won’t be returning next year because he will be mainstreamed in our local high school. After so many years of struggle, all three of us are so pleased. My husband and I have no doubt he’ll thrive in his new setting next year.
“Best of all, as his school life improved, so did our home life. No more blowups. My own anxiety over parenting has greatly decreased. We are thoroughly enjoying parenting a teenager who is curious about so many things and following what he’s passionate about. Our family and friends are all amazed by his transformation.”
To find out more about Glen Eden Multimodal Centre, give them a call at 604-821-1457 to make an appointment, send them an email or visit their website. They are located at #190-13151 Vanier Place, Richmond, B.C.
