Interviewer: Zak, thank you for talking to us tonight, in our live online chat room, to talk about what appears to be your successful method.
Ziad Zakhariah: Thanks for having me tonight, I'm looking forward to the questions.
Interviewer: Now we will go to the questions from our guests.
cclifecoach asks: How long did it take to get the program going and what hurdles?
Ziad Zakhariah: The programme has been operating since 1980. I started 11 years ago and there has been some changes to the programme since my commencement.
John asks: How do these boys end up in the school?
Ziad Zakhariah: A variety of different ways. There can get referred by psychologists, psychiatrists and other special schools. Sometimes parents just bring their boys in also.
cclifecoach asks: How does the system view your program?
Ziad Zakhariah: We are registered as a Special School so we have a bit of leeway. Some are a bit critical because of the way we go about things. Once they see how successful we are and understand our programme they are very supportive.
Marcus asks: Mate i was just wondering, do you ever shout at them when they misbehave or do you keep calm and and tell them to work out? Or something else?
Ziad Zakhariah: One of the prerequisites of the job is to be a good actor. Sometimes we put on a face of anger but it's always controlled. So there is a bit of acting as the boys need to realise they get upset at times and we need to shout, but it's always an acting job.
kell1445 asks: i would like to ask zak what can his school do to help the families that can not afford this. i am a single mother with two jobs and would never be able to afford this yet my son so desperately needs this. Mostly likely families and single mum or dad who can not afford this,, their sons are the ones filling our jails
Ziad Zakhariah: I totally feel for you and totally understand. One of the reasons we actually did the interview for 60 Minutes tonight was that something positive may come out of it so that we could get some funding to parents who need the help. As we are a private school we need the fees to do the activities. If we could get funding it would help the parents who need some financial assistance.
Teach_2011 asks: I work at a special school (private not public) and I want to ask Zak how do you get the students to the point where they don't tell you to F off when you ask them to do something they do not want to do? We seem to get more and more students who are just blatant refusers and have little regard for anything at all. What do you do when they refuse to co-operate?
Ziad Zakhariah: Generally they don't, as we do everything with them. We do a lot of the activities with them. They generally come in with the perception of being tough. We generally have a 50% retention rate from each previous year so those kids are already doing the programme so the new kids don't want to look different so they will join in.
traceyb asks: Do these boys go home on the weekends, do you have residential faciltities?
Ziad Zakhariah: They do go home on weekends and no, we don't have residential facilities. The school is a day school.
falloutboy1 asks: English and math are important, but what about science? Thats also a really important subject too.
Ziad Zakhariah: You can't teach science if someone can't read or write and do basic arithmetic. Maths and English are the foundations of every other subject. All camps are followed by essays and looked at as an academic part of the programme they therefore learn natural sciences, human science and geography.
Rckd_78 asks: Zak - do you ever visit other schools and provide professional development for teachers? You are inspirational.
Ziad Zakhariah: If requested, yes we will do that.
ford1001 asks: At what age do you accept students?
Ziad Zakhariah: From about 12 years. We have kept them up to 18 years. Students average 2 to 3 years at the school. Oh and I didn't mean we keep them for 18 years, but up to the age of 18 years.
Stumpie asks: Please, please, please somwhere for girl preferable Melbourne, if not interstate with boarding facilities. please I need help shes going off the rails. Help needed to get her back, any suggestions?
Ziad Zakhariah: Please, please, please if you find out let me know as I get that question a lot. If you can read a good book for girls by Dr Michael Carr-Greg "Princess Bitchface Syndrome"
John asks: How do you teach the bullies respect for others?
Ziad Zakhariah: Through martial arts, it's a great leveller.
Jeff asks: Are any of the boys showing bully tendencies or are they all equals?
Ziad Zakhariah: When they come, if there are bullying tendencies, they quickly disappear. They realise they are a small fish in a big pond. Some of our students who have been there longer are more competent at martial arts and self defence so respect is immediately given.
cclifecoach asks: Great work guys, do they end up with a leaving certificate eg year 10?
Ziad Zakhariah: We only go to Year 10 then we try to integrate them back into the mainstream school system or get them into a trade.
Karolyn asks: I would just like to say that I wish you guys were in NSW! My son is 15, has ADHD and I managed to get him into a Father Chris Reilly Youth off the streets school, whilst they are good with the kids, after watching this story tonight, I wish he had the opportunity to be schooled by you!! Keep up the great work -Do you forsee developing some schools in NSW in the future?
Ziad Zakhariah: I think we have our hands full here in Victoria, but if anyone wanted to open a school in NSW and understands the policies required we would be more than happy to guide them along the way.
JHunter asks: Hey Zak, I'm a teacher in a low-socioeconomic school. We really struggle with disrespect and refusal to adhere to school rules. I'm interested in what you guys do if boys do break rules and refuse to adhere to your standards
Ziad Zakhariah: The rules in the school are made by the students and the punishments also are made by the students. We guide the rules but the students make them. We just police the rules. Most punishments are physical sport and activities. we work on credit points for good behaviour vs bad behaviour. They use the points for certain special activities. Also low student-high teacher ratio makes it easier than in schools with larger class numbers.
scarlett asks: hi Ziad.. great story btw.. I’m wondering if there are any types of scholarships available to the school?
Ziad Zakhariah: There used to be, we have a very kind donator, but unfortunately they have stopped. We used to have two half-scholarships in the past. If anyone out there would like to offer a scholarship we would really appreciate them doing so.
Boby123 asks: what time does your school run...like in hours?
Ziad Zakhariah: Between 9am to 3pm unless they have detention.
Michael asks: Can you please let me know how big classes are?
Ziad Zakhariah: We take a max of 25 students, and occasionally go over as we have a waiting list. There are always about 4 teachers for those students. All students are in the one room together with the teaching staff. No lunch breaks and no recess. Lunch is eaten in the classroom during lessons.
Jacinta asks: Zak, as a fellow teacher I enjoyed your story tonight. I work in a pretty rough area of Melbourne. I teach a couple of boys who I know would benefit from a program like yours. If you could take one thing back to a main stream setting what would it be?
Ziad Zakhariah: More sport. Maybe some combat sports such as martial arts. Especially in rougher areas the kids get a lot out of it.
JHunter asks: Do you have boys that refuse to come to school and how do you handle that?
Ziad Zakhariah: Yes we do, I drive to their house and pick them up. I personally go and get them.
ccc08 asks: what happens when the kids flat out refuse to listen and walk out for example?
Ziad Zakhariah: I've not had that happen.
advice asks: Hi I tried to run an program like yours for troubled boys in the NSW education department. My ideas have been condemned and rejected. Any advice?
Ziad Zakhariah: I'm not familiar with the NSW policies, keep trying as there has to be a loophole for you to get in there and do something.
Rhiannon asks: How are the boys prepared for the "real world" when they near the completion of their time at the academy ?
Ziad Zakhariah: Interaction with the children and their parents is greater than in a mainstream school and when they move out of our system into another school we try to find a school that fits their personality.
rowan asks: Does the use of physical activity tire the students at all when completing their arithmatic etc?
Ziad Zakhariah: No it actually settles them down for it.
ssepulvda asks: How many years do the kid need to be there usually?
Ziad Zakhariah: Each individual is treated seperately, on average 2 to 3 years but we have had kids for up to 6 years.
lady_oracle asks: What 'intensive English' are you teaching? Life skills English program? Or something you have devised specifically?
Ziad Zakhariah: We do experiential writing after each camp or outdoor activity and we do the old SRA Card System as well as reading books.
julie asks: If students are having severe problems with reading or writing do you look outside the school for help to find the problem such as if they have dyslexia or similar problems?
Ziad Zakhariah: No we are very patient. The Principal and I both have Masters degrees in education so we deal with it ourselves.
lovely-lyza asks: Hello Zak i was very impressed with the story tonight I was wondering if there were female teachers at the academy?
Ziad Zakhariah: Only Frank's wife but she is only there partially. She helps generally when required.
Paulina asks: How do you deal with complete defiance and failure to follow instructions. Isn't that a dangerous situation?
Ziad Zakhariah: Generally there are kids from previous years, and the boys enjoy doing the martial arts etc and they don't want to look weak to the others, so they generally toe the line.
seniorteach asks: Could you give an example of a behavioural management method used.. e.g. time out room? what consequences etc work with these boys...
Ziad Zakhariah: No time out room it doesn't work as they have done all that in mainstream or other special schools. It can be either pushups, situps, squats something to make them physically stronger. They get encouragement from the other kids when they do it and although it's a punishment to finish it, makes them feel stronger as they are encouraged by the other students.
piasala asks: Are there elective subjects offered such as languages other than english and design and technology etc? Also, does the school go from kindergarten to yr 12?
Ziad Zakhariah: School goes from Grade 6 to Year 10 and half of the curriculum is Maths and English the other half being sport and recreation and outdoor activities.
Josh asks: Do the students have any say if they want too continue with the program? Because you are not a typical school should students have the right to go back to a public school, even if it is against their parents wishes?
Ziad Zakhariah: Yes the students do have a say. If they want to say there it's because they know they need to stay. Some will say they need to stay. We do talk to the students and if we think they are ready to go we are all for it. If we think they aren't ready we will keep them at the school to get the problems fixed and sorted out. We do good work but we don't have a magic wand and sometimes it takes a bit of time.
bernadette asks: What specifically do you do to aid students who have no motivation at all.
Ziad Zakhariah: Be very positive with everything they do and that generally starts a motivational chain reaction.
lee2011 asks: Do you think teachers need more skills these days to deal with children today?
Ziad Zakhariah: I think teachers are already overworked and overpaid. We need to look at the system and not the teachers, the teachers do a fantastic job. Let me correct that .. I really meant to say that teachers are overworked and UNDERpaid.
shirley asks: I am sorry that I missed this program. Do you have any children who identify as Aboriginal?
Ziad Zakhariah: We have had a couple of students in the past who have been part Aboriginal.
maddy1998 asks: Are you looking at offering a boarding situation in the future as it would be great for people who live in the country?
Ziad Zakhariah: No we're not looking at that, sorry to say.
parakenco asks: What are your top 3 tips?
Ziad Zakhariah: Have firm boundaries. Choose your words carefully, mean what you say and say what you mean. Be very careful with your choice and length of punishment. Sometimes lengthy punishments such as grounded for a month, or confiscating something needs to be changed to something they can see as fair. If the punishment is beyond their control they will play up more. If you care about the kids make sure you tell them you love them, it's very important that they know you care.
winchunzac asks: Is there any programs like this anywhere else in AUS?
Ziad Zakhariah: As far as I know, there is no programme like this anywhere in the world. There are bits and pieces here and there but nothing collective. I did my Masters Thesis based on our programme so I did quite a bit of research. There are outdoor and short term programmes but nothing that puts it all together collectively as we do, we are very unique.
donnadag asks: I would like to find some more information about your school where can I do that?
Ziad Zakhariah: go to http://www.frankdando.com.au for more information. Or phone the school the number is 03-9807 2111
Interviewer: I am sorry we are out of time, do you have anything else you would like to share before we finish tonight?
Ziad Zakhariah: Thank you for the great questions and comments. We live in a great country with a great education system and beliefs for it. Unfortunately we look at success b y the amount of remuneration somebody earns and by that rationale soapie stars are more important than the teachers who teach our kids who are our future. It would be great to see educators get more respect, more time and probably more pay for educating our children who tomorrow will be running the country and looking after our industry. Again, thank you for having me tonight and the great questions you asked.
Interviewer: Once again thank you for joining us, and goodnight.
Interviewer: This concludes our chat with Ziad Zakhariah, Sunday September 18, 2011.
