This year, at Avenor, we are setting out to reflect more deeply on the experiences we all go through in a school setting. What makes us feel good at school? What elements help us stay connected, and what gives us a sense of belonging?
In our journey to view our experiences from this perspective – one aimed at fostering mutual understanding – we’ve chosen trusted partners to help us “measure” what we feel. David Willows and Suzette Parlevliet, the creators of [YELLOW CAR], have spent recent years developing a tool that lets us explore the emotional landscape of our school experiences. It’s practically a new way of listening.
A New Way of Listening
Imagine a school hallway on a Monday morning. The air is filled with conversations, laughter, and quick steps to classrooms. We know these sights and sounds, but what about the feelings that accompany them? For Avenor, these emotions—whether joy, excitement, or even anxiety—form the core of our community. We want to go beyond traditional feedback to truly explore the significance of these feelings.
The Felt Experience Indicator, developed by David Willows and Suzette Parlevliet at Yellow Car, invites students, parents, and teachers to share more than just their opinions. We want them to tell us how they feel—something traditional surveys rarely capture. David and Suzette bring a deep understanding of how emotions shape experiences, and through their work, they help schools see beyond the surface, revealing the connections and emotions that unite us.
The Story Behind Yellow Car
David and Suzette didn’t just create a survey tool. They founded [YELLOW CAR] as a touchstone for schools that believe education is about more than the structured hours in class and a specific curriculum. They wanted to offer communities the language to talk about what it means to belong to a group. The Felt Experience Indicator is the result of years spent in international schools, understanding the emotional dynamics of communities of parents, students, and teachers.
“We have been so excited to see the way in which students, parents, and school employees around the world have shared their experiences. The insights we have gained have been profound and, in many cases, are leading to meaningful change” says David Willows, and this is what we’re hoping to happen at Avenor also.
The Avenor Experience
In our classrooms, hallways, playground, and sports fields, emotions come to life every day. Through the Felt Experience Indicator, our community has the chance to give shape to these emotional dimensions, highlighting where we feel connected, valued, or where we might need more support.
This process will unfold in two stages: first, a brief, anonymous survey open to everyone. Each response adds a piece to a larger picture—a snapshot of life at Avenor. In the second stage, we’ll hold focus groups to explore the themes emerging from the survey. These discussions will allow us to go deeper, to hear the personal stories behind the data, guided by David and Suzette, who will ensure every voice is heard, every story respected, and integrated into our shared experience.
A Journey Worth Taking
This partnership with [YELLOW CAR] is more than just a project; it’s a journey—one that honors every voice, celebrates what makes Avenor a place so many call home. As we gather insights from this process, we know they’ll help us not just refine specific aspects, but also continue our story with a coherent focus on how people feel, beyond just what they do.
By listening in this way, we create an empathetic environment, open to understanding and continuous growth. And as we move forward together on this journey, we know that how we feel at school isn’t just important—it’s fundamental to who we are.
