Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, agency, Equity, General, IEP, Inclusion

Let’s Talk About  Supporting Special Education Needs: Part 1

Hello Fellow Travellers,

Heads down, one foot in front of the other, get to work safely,  spend the day doing the work we are trained for, seek support when needed, leave after dismissal of students, get home safely, continue the work at home – both for the next work day and to support precious people in our lives and if there’s time – ourselves. Sounds familiar doesn’t it. That is how busy we have been lately. Do we even remember a time when it was different?

Knowing the Work By Doing The Work

“Oh, you’re a teacher!” is a statement that comes across differently when people who hold other jobs, and are unfamiliar with what you and I do everyday. Add to it in the underfunded aspects of our students’ learning needs and it would be a very interesting conversation.

People outside the lived realities of educators don’t  always know the actual conditions in which we do our work everyday.  The image that is formed in people’s minds about what teachers do, can be from what they remember as students or have heard from here and there.

Unless you do the work, you don’t know the work.

Accurate Information is Important

In times when more and more people are busy that micro information that snowballs into rhetoric, it is important to talk about the actual situations.  It is very important for ETFO members to review regularly and understand what the issues are that impact our students’ learning conditions and our working conditions.

It is very important to inform ourselves so that we know the issues.

Therefore, I want to bring back into view an article written by our colleague and ETFO member shared below. Although it was published in the Spring 2023 issue, it is still very relevant.

Supporting the Special Education needs of Ontario Students | ETFO Voice

It is important to focus on some key points of this article especially at this time so that we are all aware of what matters and why. If you have not read this piece yet, please do so now.

The article opens with this statement “Special education is meant to be a portable and adaptable service that follows students through their educational journeys. When our special education systems suffer cutbacks, so do our students’ educational trajectories.” 

Here, the author explains that Special Education resources in Ontario are stretched thin and difficult to access although the need for them is high and dire. Related realities of insufficient funding of social welfare programmes, in sufficient staffing and longer wait times are listed as some key causes.

The article also highlights the reality of greater mental health needs of students resulting in “students experiencing overwhelming anxiety, which sometimes manifests as severe behaviours that can put themselves or others in harm’s way. In some cases, this can result in explosions of physical and verbal aggression. In other cases, the behaviours present as emotional withdrawal and disconnect.”

The lack of resources that can strengthen the learning that can strengthen the foundational years is a reality that is felt by students and educators alike.

What stands out in this article is the way that the author highlights how political decisions impact people personally and professionally and shape the experiences of students, families and educators.

When ETFO members are expected to take on more and more demands due to the confluence of ever increasing needs and ever decreasing funding, there is a problem – a big one.

“To place additional demands on us while also stripping us of resources is to rob our students of a safe space. An ideal environment for students – especially our most vulnerable – isn’t simply a matter of putting up nice posters and having access to cutting edge technology. We are the environment.”

Courageous Voices 

Sometimes, due to the busy pace of our lives and the many things that take up time, or because you have just joined the profession, it may seem as if something is a new problem or a small problem or one that will go away.

It is only when we stop and think – “Wait a minute. Colleagues have been talking about this for a long time” – do we see that the relentless underfunding and scarcity of resources is a steady march through the years. And someone has spoken up or written about it.

I often return to articles authored by ETFO members long after the first reading because of the impact they have had on strengthening the experiential aspects of members’ professional practice.

In a world where we are told regularly not to believe what we see and hear, rather to normalize inequities, it is very important to stay informed.

The old, old game of divide and conquer is always waiting in the wings, fangs bared and  can whisper convincingly that the family should do more or educators should do more while absolving completely those in power who make decisions that impact students and their families as well as educators who work in partnership with them.

I invite you to engage with the topic of Special Education through ETFO Voice 

Read, consider writing, and always speak up – well informed voices that believe in socially just outcomes through public education can collectively influence change.

Stay informed, stay alert and stay active in the work of our union

As Amrita Kaul, the author of the piece shared above, says in conclusion: “Despite all these challenges, to be an education worker is to be inherently optimistic for the future because we believe in the many possibilities our students can and will create for the world.”

With You, In Solidarity.

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Building Inclusion, English As Second Language (ESL), English Language Learners (ELLs), General, IEP, Inclusion, Language Learning, Special Education

Building On, Building Together

Hello again,

It is already the middle of the school year. Time to look back and look ahead. Earlier this month I read Colleen Elep’s piece “Knowing The Learner Matters: All About Multilingual Language Learner (MLL/ELL Variability)” on this blog with much interest.

The opening paragraph stands out immediately and invites readers to think deeper and look inward at assumptions we may tend to make or others have made and passed on to us: “When we think about Multilingual Language Learners, also known as MLLs (or ELLs), it can be tempting to view them as a uniform group with similar needs and experiences. In reality, nothing could be further than the truth. MLLs are an incredibly diverse group of students who bring a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, identities, educational histories, and lived experiences to their learning”

Although the writing outlines many signposts and how-to aspects that are very helpful to classroom practice, I went looking for something that connects the writer’s entry point with mine because I wanted to not just read – I also wanted to sharpen my skills. And I stopped here…

Supporting Multilingual Language Learners with Possible Special Education Needs

This resource, shared in October 2025, has an easy to understand, conversational title that considers possibilities and also highlights partnerships. It is an invitation to collaborate and to sit together as teachers to think through students’  strengths, needs, family background, educational experiences, migrations trajectories and do something about it – together and professionally.

The starting lines indicate that “This member-developed resource provides useful information about how to support MLLs with possible special education needs. The program brief may be leveraged when MLLs are not experiencing success with ongoing ESL/ELD supports” which means that the ESL/ELD supports have to be implemented first.

The link to the resource brings the reader to a document that states these important aspects right at the outset which we all need to remember because there may be a risk of rushing which though well intentioned mostly, can be premature identification into special education programmes and states this: “When multilingual language learners (MLLs)1 are developing the English language skills required for success with the Ontario curriculum, it can be difficult to determine if some of these learners may also have additional learning needs, such as an Ontario Ministry of Education-recognized exceptionality”

The definitions of exceptionalities are important to review and there is also a caution there, as teachers, as educators, we do what we are trained to do – we teach, we gather evidence, we collaborate with colleagues who can guide our practice and we seek support in collaboration with families and other experts in our school districts.

We do not offer diagnoses.  This resources helps greatly to keep us on our path.

Also, educational work is best done in community with collaborative colleagues. This we know.

The Multi-Tiered Approach 

I especially liked the info-graphic and the video series. The former makes it easy to understand what is needed at each stage and the page states that more resources will be added, so let us check in regularly as we learn together.  The video series allowed me to see the possibilities of rich and respectful professional conversations on how to support at Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 that are also known as Good for All, Necessary for Some and Essential for a Few.  It is always professionally strengthening to hear ETFO colleagues talk about the rich possibilities available to us in the work we do.

I invite you to engage with Colleen’s blog post and then make your way to the resources shared above. Do share back how this worked for you in your spaces. And please share this piece with others who may be interested to read and learn …

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Inclusion, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth, Teacher Working Conditions, Teaching as a public profession, Why unions matter, Women at Work

Welcome to ETFO

It is February already! Since September, it has felt as if the school year is taking huge strides that go from one Friday to the next.

In the midst of this hectic pace, I am delighted to share the Welcome to ETFO booklet for members in their first 5 years

it is very easy to follow even in your busy work day or after work with a cuppa.

Layout of the Booklet 

I especially connected with the layout of the booklet because right on the first page is the link events.etfo.org  Here, you can access information about programs and conferences that support members’ understanding of ETFO, to support your involvement and leadership growth.

Then, some key programs and upcoming dates are listed.

A yellow square with three white rectangles each listing a programme for ETFO members
Upcoming Programs in the Welcome to ETFO booklet. 

The next page has some key messages that guide the work of our union. I am sharing below a small section of each of the following.

  • ETFO Equity Statement: It is the goal of the ETFO to work with others to create schools, communities, and a society free from all forms of individual and systemic discrimination.
  • ETFO Human Rights Statement: Harassment and discrimination on the basis of a prohibited ground are violations of the Ontario Human Rights Code and are illegal. The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario will not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code, at provincial or local Federation sponsored activities.
  • ETFO’s Equity Initiatives: ETFO is a union committed to social justice, equity, and inclusion.
  • Definition of an Anti-Oppressive Framework: An anti-oppressive framework is the method and process in which we understand how systems of oppression such as colonialism, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, and ableism can result in individual discriminatory actions and structural/ systemic inequalities for certain groups in society.
  • ETFO Land Acknowledgment
An orange rectangle with ETFO's Land Acknowledgement
ETFO’s Land Acknowledgement

Letter from Your President highlights that ETFO is the largest union representing teachers with 84,000 members. In the inspiring and warm message this reminder stands out: “Your current central collective agreement expires on August 31, 2026. Preparation for the next round of bargaining is well underway. ETFO has established class size as a significant bargaining issue. Look for our Smaller Classes, Big Difference campaign advertising in your community and help spread the word to ensure the public is informed and engaged in our fight for students.”

The table of contents lists the different sections that are hyperlinked for easy access.

I highly recommend staring here because “How your union works for you” is a very important section that you need to remember and also share with colleagues even if they are not in the first 5 years of educational work within ETFO.

The booklet reminds you that,  “You will need your ETFO ID number to register. If you do not know your number, please contact Member Records at memberrecords@etfo.org or 416-962-3836/1-888-838-3836 extension 3806.”

Did You Know?

As per the provincial guidelines of ETFO, “the costs for member release time, travel, meals, and accommodation are covered for these conferences.” Do check out the programs and conferences that support your goals and sign up!

I am sure you will find lots of connections with the material shared in the Welcome to ETFO booklet.

Please ask at least two people if they have read it and please share widely.

Although this booklet is addressing members in your first years, there may be many who have worked longer and have not had the opportunity to access all the resources and information. It is never too late.

With You, In Solidarity.

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for public education, Constant Learning, Copyright, Curriculum Planning, Digital Citizenship, e-learning, Media Literacy, Professional Judgement, Professional Learning and Growth

Enter AI

Some readers may remember the interview question related to “Tell us how you are a lifelong learner.” It is asked in different ways nowadays, perhaps, but the core message is still that.

“How are you, as an educator, keeping up with what is going in the world around you?”

There’s a new star in town…

Enter AI

As educators, we are always learning. We learn to understand new concepts, and upgrade our skills and knowledge so that we can engage with the world around us. Primarily, we are lifelong learners because we are deeply committed to our students’ learning outcomes and well-being.  Educators invest a lot of time outside our paid work hours to learn so we can bring our best selves to our classrooms for our students. In our busy lives, there is limited time to attend webinars and if there are symposia as most of these are paid events. Also, when learning opportunities are offered by school boards everyone cannot attend as openings are limited. So, one or two people can go from one school maybe.

Moreover, as critical thinkers, we would like to consider more than one source of information to deepen our learning. What is shared on the social media group and on a quick or prolonged scrolling session would not be the answer to our information needs.

ETFO’s Professional Relations Services

In October 2024, ETFO’s PRS published  Artificial Intelligence in Education: Advice for Members which is a valuable resource that considers the key aspects of AI and it does so from the standpoint of our work responsibilities towards our students and ourselves.

Some Key Points

  • ETFO’s Professional Advisory speaks of the federal government’s The Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) a document that does not include any explicit provisions to address the challenges that the use of AI systems in public education present, although this document acknowledges that “information of minors is considered to be sensitive.
  • This advisory document from ETFO states that school board “could have access to all the user data which can then be used to develop performance metrics for their employees”

 Responsible Digital Citizenship

Although I trust that readers will access the PRS Matters document (also linked at the end of this piece), I want to share a few key points from this section as well.

  • Members are reminded “to refer to and follow the direction of their school board’s list of approved resources and digital tools to use with students.”
  • If there is no such list, then members “should seek approval from their principal/supervisor prior to using a specific resource.”
  • Use professional judgement (resources accessible through the Members Secure Site by logging in) when you determine if, and when AI tools can be used to support learning and teaching.
  • Always cite and attribute accurate credit to the original sources used including those generated using AI.
  • Ensure that the AI tool that you are planning to use is in alignment with the Ontario curriculum and instructional approaches.

Gist of the Matter

What stands out for me, as the gist of this document in addition to all the important information :

  • While Artificial Intelligence (AI) can provide valuable support in education, AI tools should be viewed as complements to human processes not replacements” (my emphasis).
  • “To be proactive, ETFO members should exercise caution while selecting and utilizing AI technology and contact their local if they have questions on their school board’s policy on the use of AI tools”
  • Training is essential so that members learn how to examine tools for bias and inequities.

Being critical consumers of information related to new learning such as AI is crucial for all of us.  It is therefore important that educators are consulted and involved in the selection and evaluation of AI tools and in developing literacy related to this new learning, as well as guidelines and policies around it.

The PRS matters document also highlights that “there should be a diversity of lived experiences among the people being consulted in the selection and evaluation of AI tools”

Please read this document , share it with other members and implement the guidelines therein.

In my next piece, I may discuss Education International’s research paper mentioned in the current publication.

With You, In Solidarity.

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

 

 

 

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, AQ-rofessional development, Behaviour Management, Constant Learning, General, Learning in a Real Life Context, Learning to learn, Local Involvment, Mentorship, Professional Learning and Growth, Teacher Working Conditions, Violence in Schools, Why unions matter, Women at Work, Women's Health

What did you see today? 

Hello Fellow Travellers,

Progress reports have gone home and we are moving through the school year. I hope you are well and are taking care of yourselves.

I’m Here Now

I used to do other jobs before, as a Grade 7-8 science teacher, then SERT in the Grade 6 to 8 years, then K-3 teacher etc. But I am here now. I do not have a classroom of my own is one way of looking at it. Another way, is to think that all classrooms into which I am invited are my teaching-learning spaces too.

I am here now. This is one such recent memory of being in the moment, teaching and learning.

One Monday Morning Recently

As with every stage of life when things change I remind myself that I’m here now so there’s more looking ahead with hope and anticipation than looking back with nostalgia.  It was Monday morning and I was in a Grade 2 classroom at the farthest school on my list.  I’d not been in this classroom before though I’ve met the students in Grade 1.

What Did You See Today?

On my drive, as I travel up from the southern end of the region,  I see the land change and I see horses.

When I’d worked with them then, they’d asked me “where do you live?” And when I’d shown them the general area, some of them had asked, I remember “What did you see on your way up?”

Something Lost, Something Gained

I remember when my younger child learned to read I had felt as if a part of my life  changed forever. So also, as I’ve missed this part of a classroom teacher’s job since 2020. In the early days I remember I used to look through picture books and think “oh that’ll be great to read aloud” and then I’d remember that I didn’t have my own classroom anymore.  It took time to get used to the idea that it’s possible to belong nowhere yet be a part of everywhere.

The Book 

The book I’d chosen was one I have liked as a reader as well as an educator. Friends and colleagues had read and recommended it to one another over the years. That said, I encourage all readers to consult your school board’s Text Selection and Guidelines.

All Are Welcome 

We’ve Read This Book Before

The colleague who’d invited me and I had decided I’d bring a book to read, I’d introduce myself and I’d review her expectations chart… you know how the routine goes.

I did the first few things and as I took out the book the students said, “We’ve read this book before.”

So Let’s Think Differently ( I thought)

I always carry a few copies of copies of picture based prompts for exactly such a moment . I handed out the cards and began to read. I asked the students what they could see in the pictures as I read and what they could tell from their previous reading. They were eager and listened, then responded.

We read together, we noticed some things, we commented on some things, we made connections.

Then a student asked “do you have these cards for our class?” “Yes, I do”, I said and I left a spiral bound mini version with him.

Previous Connections

Although I recognize students from previous years I don’t crowd their space and place when I meet them again. But after  giving the student these cards, as I was moving away, I was stopped with a soft tap on my wrist.

“I remember you”,  the student said softly. You come from far away and you see horses on your way to our school ”

“Yes, I do”, I replied.

It appears that “All Are Welcome” wasn’t just the title of the book I’d chosen.

It was also my experience in this classroom. For such moments, I am deeply grateful.

I want to invite you to write back directly (if you know me outside this space) or through this space to share what you see that welcomes you into your teaching and learning spaces.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, General, Inclusion, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Learning and Growth

Leave It With Me

In educational work, pace is always a busy one. Our work is not possible in isolation and it gets done well in community with others. As educators, we have professional connections between classrooms, across schools, in other provinces even other countries from whom we learn and with whom we share. Yet, in the everyday busyness of our work day, it is the people in our buildings such as in support functions who are also key partners.

Colleagues Behind The Scenes

Educational work whether in schools, or between schools doesn’t go on smoothly by itself. There are many people in our offices who work behind the scenes both efficiently and diligently to support the work that we do.

We may be in the the public eye thanks to our social media presence and followers, or conference attendance etc. but the people behind the scenes, who keep the work flowing smoothly are the glue, the fulcrum, the heartbeat of moving things forward.

After all, with one online system talking to another, the correct information in its place and the appropriate boxes checked off are important details so that educational services can reach students.  With all the deadlines that swirl in our work, where would we be if we were on our own?  I’d drop more than a thing or two, I am sure.

Also these colleagues are the ones in our educational spaces  to whom students go to seek information and support.

Leave It With Me

Some sentences said in passing become a special gift.

So it is with my colleague whom I had met five years ago online and later in person.

I may be running from one school to another and then for day, work at various other locations before returning to the office and I stop by with a question or to think through a problem…

A stapler, a blue sticky note in a dispenser, a pink message pad and a ball point pen on a maroon notebook.
The Things I Borrow When I Am In A Hurry …

When she says “leave it with me”, my slumped shoulders straighten and I know that in a matter of minutes the process will have begun or a few days things will be sorted out.

How Can I Thank You? 

When I think of the many people who make my day easier, like you, I want to thank them.

I can’t carve something beautiful or bake something delicious for all the people who’ve smoothened out wrinkles in my work life.

But I can write.

So here is a huge thank you to all the wonderful colleagues who do so many things everyday: welcome students and families into our schools, connect the dots between different data bases, register participants for regional workshops, book translators for family-teacher meetings, check in about meal choices, bridge across work sites etc.

In your school and mine, there are many people who do many things and their work supports ours.

So here’s my wish, Fellow Traveller: I hope you also have someone in your work life who says “leave it with me”.

Please share this piece with them.

Please tell them I said hi.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani English As Second Language (ESL), English Language Learners (ELLs), General, Kindergarten

The First Days of School

The First Days of School Matter

Do you remember your first day at school as a student, a teacher candidate during practice teaching and then the first day when you started as a teacher in your first assignment? At every stage, the first days of school are always important. So it is with our students, especially in  Kindergarten.  This is where it begins. The wonder, the rich connections and the limitless possibilities germinate here.

Here is the tiniest sunflower from all the seeds I planted in the Spring. I smiled when I saw it and I hope you do too.  

A very small yellow sunflower being held in the open palm of a hand against a cobblestone background. A pair of black rain boots are also in the picture.
A Tiny Sunflower (Karnad-Jani, 2025)

Collaborations Matter

In your role as a teacher, it may be difficult to gauge who and what else is out there to support. Is it too early to ask for collaborations?  How soon can I ask for someone to be a thought partner? How long should I wait to share these wonderful ideas I have?

We Dropped In to Say Hello

For teachers in classrooms, finding whom to contact and emailing them is one more task in your busy day.

As we were wrapping up the 2024-2025 school year I reached out to the Early Years’ Consultant to partner with me so that we could say a quick hello together. Here are some ways we have reached out.

  • Since September, we’ve been in many schools and we’ve had some promising opportunities to connect with educator teams – usually through a quick hello individually because we are mindful of not crowding the physical space with two new grown-ups. 
  • We have offered collaboration support to kindergarten educator teams when they invite us in. This joint approach has allowed each of us and both of us to listen deeply from our professional standpoints and bring in resources to support partnership possibilities based on the needs of students in these classrooms.
  • We also have identical lanyard visuals as a Tier 1 good-for-all communication tool. Sometimes, classroom colleagues ask us for these visuals and we share them gladly.
  • We have had a great start to our collaborative partnership and for this I am grateful. When we debrief, we have lots to share and smile about. Students benefit when adults collaborate consistently.  This we know.

The collaboration above is just one example of how we can support one another.  There are many self-directed ways through some  helpful resources from ETFO that are created by educators for educators.

Resources for PLEY (Professional Learning in the Early Years ) ETFO PLEY has lots of important links and I have shared them below. 

Observation: A Window into Children’s Thinking

I started with this link because that’s the one that fascinated me the most. We know how gratifying it is to hear students communicating their thinking in many ways. When students are multilingual, how wonderful it is to hear them communicate in their home language! The kindness we experience when a student translates their peer conversations for us, and invites the educator to join in, is indeed heartwarming.

When students feel safe and comfortable to bring their whole selves into view is a very   rewarding experience for us, isn’t it?

Interested in partnerships? Do check out this link: Building & Enriching Partnerships

PLEY Chats   highlights educator teams  who share their passion in the early years. There are also some Reflective Questions to consider in this section that you may want to bring to your Professional Learning Circles or planning meetings.

  • How does this topic resonate with you and what connections are you making?
  • What wonderings does it leave you with?
  • What idea(s) would you like to delve into?
  • What obstacles or challenges will prevent you from moving forward? How can you problem-solve through these challenges?
  • What resources can you access to support you?
  • How can you infuse these ideas into your setting?

I hope  your Early Years’ educator teams enjoy engaging with ETFO PLEY.

Looking Forward To School 

As I was walking towards the door on the first day of school, a student’s parent was leaving with the younger sibling who was asking “Why can’t I go to school?” The parent replied, “You are not old enough yet. Next year, you can go to Kindergarten.”

That made me smile at the hope and joy of this eager learner and for us, as very fortunate ETFO members, who will be able to share first days of school with our students. 

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

 

 

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Constant Learning, Copyright, Inspiring Teachers, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Mindfulness, Outdoor Education, self reflection, social emotional learning, solidarity, teacher efficacy, Teacher Working Conditions, Women at Work

How was your weekend?

Hello Fellow Travellers,

November is here with all the busy-ness that this month brings. Progress reports done, family-school partnerships are getting stronger and the conversations among colleagues on how to support our learners are ongoing. In times like these, the weekend beckons.

A close-up from a window showing snow covered tree trunks. The sunshine in the background is making the snow glimmer.
Sunshine and Snow Covered Trees

Busyness of a Different Kind

I don’t know the circumstances of others’ lives, and can just speak for mine, at least those that I choose to share.

On weekdays, especially when we have turned the clocks back, going to and returning from work usually happens when the sky is dark. It is also not unusual to come in to a half cup of coffee left on the ledge of the powder room sink, or the plant shelf in the front hallway or even the salt tote on the front stoop.

Weekend Treats

To re-charge and clear my mind, get ready for the week ahead, I have some weekend routines that I shall share below

  • I always make myself a special breakfast either poha, upma, idlis, dosas or a fancy omelette on the weekend
  • I then eat this delicacy in a leisurely manner with my coffee
  • The second cup of coffee is usually with a wander outside, dressed for the weather that allows me to peer at what my botanical friends are doing at this time of the year.
  • One day is for professional and academic writing and catching up on correspondence with family and friends, in the GTA, and around the world.
  • I sometimes pick up holds at the library as it is more relaxed than rushing over after a work day.
  • One day is to prepare my home and me for the week ahead – meal prep etc.
  • Yard work plays a huge part of my weekend at this time of the year because I diligently gather leaves to make leaf mold for the spring time planting.

Looking Inward, Looking Out

Everywhere around me, in order to allow me to enjoy my weekend treats, the world is at work, so to speak. The library is open, the grocery stores are stocked and serving customers, other services are up and running.  if I were to go to the hospital for myself or to support a friend, that ecosystem would also be filled with people working away.

So how would it be if I were to ask students tomorrow: “What did you do on the weekend?” if their parent or caregiver were working in the spaces that make my weekend possible?

This is the mirror I am holding up to my privilege today.

I have a weekend.

Not everyone else has the same reality.

I just wanted to leave that here with my steaming cup of coffee.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

 

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Celebrating Success, Constant Learning, First Week Reflections, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Mindfulness, Outdoor Learning, self reflection

Pouring Water On Sand ?

Hello Fellow Travellers,

I hope you are well. As the growing season comes to a close in our part of the world and I begin these conversations with you for the 2nd year through this space, I wanted to share how delighted I am to spend this time with you.

Last year, I had written about how sometimes we feel wobbly…

Coming back to a new school year is challenging for me/us as it is for our students, sometimes.  Colleagues ask me sometimes “Is it me?” and I do my best to listen, just listen and if the connection allows, I reassure them that it is not them. It is all of us together, trying to figure out the complexities and the joy of this work one day at a time.  As I was thinking about my day and week recently, I said to myself “this feels like I am pouring water on sand”. I sat with that idea for a while, had a cup of tea, went for a walk and I felt lighter afterwards. I had some new ideas about whom I would reach to, what I would continue and what I would reimagine. I let the words flow like the water I thought I was pouring on sand.

Here is my gift to you – my first poem here.

Pouring Water On Sand ?

Some days I feel

as if  I am

pouring

precious

water on sand

The water disappears

and I don’t see

anything grow.

Yet there is

a deeply held belief

that this water

flows

and goes somewhere

underground

and comes up

far away,

in a verdant space

where there’s fertile soil

And the seeds

that you and I have planted

will thrive.

Will you also believe this

with me?

7 red cherry tomatoes in the palm of a hand against a grey background of a paved yard.
Tomatoes from August 2025

With You In Solidarity,

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, Building Inclusion, Communication with Parents and Guardians, English As Second Language (ESL), English Language Learners (ELLs), Equity, Faculties of Ed, Language Learning, Learning About Your Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Learning to learn, Making a Difference Through Education, Media Literacy, Wellbeing, Women at Work

Where in Mumbai? 

The Places 

We go from here and there through our day. Sometimes, we go to new places around our usual work location, whose address we enter into  our devices so that we arrive promptly with time to spare, even.  So one day recently, I thought I was just going to work.

The Context 

Since December  2024, two colleagues and I have been collaborating with consultants in another department to work on a key resource that has helped many and will continue to help more students and educators as we move forward. Sometimes in March, just before a series of professional learning sessions, we met again. We had to get through a lot.

The Necklace Started It 

I have always loved necklaces and I always wear one when I’m not in classrooms. This was one such piece.

A necklace with two double strands of flat turquoise beads and a large oval turquoise pendant set in silver. The back piece is made of small silver beads, silver fastening and black lava beads and round yellow beads. The necklace is set against a black background.
   My Necklace From Mumbai

As colleagues from the other department came into the meeting room one of them complimented me on my choice. I thanked her and added, “It’s from Mumbai. Like me”.

A dear friend with whom I’d attended school (Grades 9-10) had gifted it to me from her collection when she visited last summer. But I didn’t have time to share that as we were at work, you know. We had a lot to do.

My colleague smiled warmly and asked,  “Where in Mumbai?”

Where in Mumbai?

At the end of that long and busy week, my heart skipped a beat: In 21 years of working in education and 23 years living “here”, no one had ever asked me “Where in Mumbai?”

“Dadar”, I said.

My colleague told me where she grew up and I reminisced that I used to go shopping in that neighbourhood and had fond memories of some beautiful silver jewelry pieces I had bought there. I had also worked nearby to where she’d grown up. We talked about these places we both knew from what seems like another lifetime.

The glow of that conversation stayed with me and now we talk about books and authors and other things when we are in the same place, warming lunch.

Why This Question?

I have many friends in many spaces at work. We have lots of conversations and have many fond memories over the years. We talk about books, family (ours), pets (theirs), dreams and many other things.

Yet, just one question “Where in Mumbai?” has stayed with me differently. It is as if a locked door has sprung open.

Some points that come into view for me that I want to share with you, my fellow traveller.

  1. I think about how we, as educators, recognize intellectually that the whole child comes to school.
  2. Yet many of of us aren’t able to bring our whole selves to work.
  3. I/we don’t talk about everything that makes me/us complete because either there’s too much to do, or more often, I/we don’t think anyone else knows of that place, that food, that fragrance and so on
  4. I am sure there are many more meanings that will come to the surface for you and me when you read this. Do share.

There’s A Ghazal (Poem) For That

So here are some lines from a ghazal written by Gulzar and sung by Jagjit Singh that explain that feeling of perhaps being The Only One in a space. These lines explains the feeling of a solitude that I couldn’t put into words until that question “Where in Mumbai?

“Aainaa dekh karr tass-allee hui

Humko iss ghar mein jaan-taa hai koi”

The Translation Goes Like This

I was reassured when I looked in the mirror 

That someone knows me in this house.

Thank you, dear colleague- friend who has memories of Mumbai. Not identical ones, but just like I do.

I can’t wait to see you again.

Fellow Travellers, I wish you such unexpected and pleasant encounters in your work spaces.

And if you know Mumbai, or Goa, please write back.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani