Last month on Twitter, a Tweet about “Crazy Hair Day” sparked interesting conversations around words, hair, and spirit. A long-standing practice in schools has been “Spirit Days”. Centered around themes that are supposed to demonstrate school or community “spirit”, these days have been around for as long as I have been in education. As a […]
Advocacy for change
Saying, “I am not racist” is not enough pt 1
“One either endorses the idea of a racial hierarchy as a racist or racial equality as an antiracist,” Kendi writes, adding that it isn’t possible to be simply “not racist.” from New Yorker Magazine article Aug 18, 2019 It’s not enough to say, “I am not racist,” and I feel that it is time for […]
Empowering Readers and the Right to Read
The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) (October 2019). Recent Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) test scores show over 25% of Grade 3 students and 53% of Grade 3 students with special education needs did not meet provincial standards. The OHRC cites that students who cannot read struggle with many aspects of school and are […]
Holiday Break Assumptions
December is stressful for so many reasons. Seasonal concerts and plays, crafts and the general hustle and bustle around this time of year. While teachers attempt to make things fun and engaging for the last few weeks before the holiday, there are a few things to consider about assumptions that as educators we might make […]
In loco contractus
It has taken a lot of restraint to ignore the volumes of micro-aggressive, passive aggressive, aggressive, and macro-aggressive comments flying around the Twitterverse about education since our most recent contract with the government expired this past August. And then there is the elected official du jour with the education portfolio. I have tried not to […]
What’s up with the increase of students with IEPs in Ontario classrooms?
From People for Education, 2019, p. 15 An Individual Education Plan … is a working document that is developed and maintained for a student who is deemed exceptional by an Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) must be developed with input from the parent(s)/guardian(s) and from the student if he or she is 16 years of […]
Undercover Boss
Have you ever watched a show called Undercover Boss? An average episode of the hour long program shows a CEO or top tier exec going incognito to better understand the work flow, flaws, and family of an organization. The show makes sure that the top dog is put alongside some pre-selected employees(often outspoken) who, fearlessly […]
Class Size and Composition Matters
Class Size and Composition Matters As a teacher of 19 years, I’ve seen many changes to classroom composition. When I first started teaching, students with behaviour needs where either supported through Educational Assistants (EAs) or in separate contained classes. In addition, students with significant special education needs had additional supports and/or placement options for contained […]
Violence in Ontario Schools
Violence in the classroom is emerging as a significant issue for teachers’ working conditions and students’ learning conditions. In the United States, a national survey of 2998 teachers from 48 states noted that 80% of teachers reported at least one incidence of violence with 94% of respondents stating students as the source (McMahon, Martinez, Espelage, […]