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 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 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 Advocacy for change, Celebrating Success, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Constant Learning, Differentiated Instruction, Diverse Learning Needs, Equity, Faculties of Ed, Inclusion, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Mindfulness, Outdoor Education, Outdoor Learning, Pedagogical Documentation, Professional Judgement, Professional Learning and Growth, Science

Let’s grow something! 

Hello Fellow Travellers,

April has left behind a warm May and when the sun isn’t shining, it’s been cool cloudy Khandala (please look it up) weather.  There have been many things to go at work and much time to play: both aspects a reflection of the privilege one takes for granted when one gets to being in a certain place in a certain way. There’s that Standard North American Family * shelf on which one lives.

Before Work, I Play

When I first started teaching in 2004, I began at an early start school so I’ve  been in the habit of waking early. A huge help with meal prep and a quiet cup of coffee when raising young children back then. Nowadays as I’ve got more time and less mothering work to attend to, I look around and I peer.  There are many thoughts running through my mind that my botany courses do not explain anymore as this is a connection that goes beyond scientific knowledge and leaf identification skills.

“There you are!”, I whisper

“You came back after the winter”, I say.

“Oh my goodness. You’ve got many more little ones along the fence now!”, I celebrate.

Looking Down and Planning Up

Just as one indulges people in one’s life they reciprocate as well. When they were younger, my children would remark when I’d walk about in early spring on this space or elsewhere: “Mamma is peering at the ground. Something is growing there”. I do this in every area of my life. I peer and I wait patiently.

I also work to create conditions that will allow that which is growing to thrive.

Transferable Skills: The “Remember-When Mindset” (Karnad-Jani, 2025)

Recognizing potential and creating conditions for growth and thriving is a skill. We can learn it. We can practice it with critical and kind friends and colleagues who know the heart and art of teaching and learning.

I work hard to strengthen the skills in in one area of my life so that I can use the “remember when? mindset” to support myself and others in another area. I am sure there is a theory for this somewhere and a fancy name in a book, but to me, it means noticing that something is sprouting and how when I and you create conditions for roots to go down and stems to grow upwards the young seeds become plants and the seedlings become shrubs and trees.

Let’s Grow Something Together: The Sunflower Lesson

A few weeks ago, I planted sunflower seeds outside but brought them in on the mid-May long weekend due to the cooler temperatures. I noticed on Saturday that sunflower seedling had flopped. I gently poked in a wooden stick beside it and on Monday I notice that it doesn’t need it anymore!

Sunflower Seedlings On Their Own

What does that tell me? Scaffolding and support to those who need it, allows seedlings to strengthen without expending energy to prevent bending or breaking. I take this insight with me into all areas of my life and also sharing with you, my fellow travellers.

Sunflower Seedlings After Support

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

  • The Standard North American Family, says Smith, is an ideological code that informs the biases by which we see particular families as deficient because the ideal of SNAF is a two-parent, heterosexual family where the father’s work allows the mother to attend to the children’s schooling and educational outcomes. It is also important to notice that race is a critical intersection within SNAF (Karnad-Jani, 2021).
Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, agency, Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, Building Inclusion, Classroom Management, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Constant Learning, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Language Learning, Learning About Your Students, Learning in a Real Life Context

Sweet Moments, Different Names

Hello Fellow Travellers,

I’ve written in previous posts about the wonderful opportunity of learning from and with students when I’m invited to collaborate with educators who work with students from kindergarten to age 21.

This past week as we approached the end of a cooler-than-usual April, the sun shone warmer and a long awaited Spring peeped out from behind grey clouds that had greeted us in previous months. One Friday afternoon before the long weekend, I was in a Grade 7 classroom. I arrived during lunch and went upstairs as pre-decided with the teacher. I found a corner to work until lunch time was over and the teacher came back.
Soon, the students came in also and the two nearest to me asked who I was and as always, I respectfully mentioned that I’d introduce myself when their teacher invited me to. As always students had questions – my name, where am I from, what’s my favourite food and so on. I usually stay with 10 questions so the teacher’s planned lesson can continue and we review classroom expectations prior so that students remember that every person who enters their class deserves respect.
Something To Think About
One student asked me what is the most important thing about my job and I said that I get to experience hope and joy when I interact with students. They asked me if I was part of their history lesson and while I was not co-teaching it, I could be. Our lives as people are interconnected after all.  I enjoyed the interaction among students during their history lesson that was about the fur trade in this land now known as Canada. There were many deep questions they asked their teacher.
Moving On To Other Topics
Then it was time for their reading buddies to come in. There was a bustle of activity as everyone was excited. Their teacher reviewed the expectations for them and students prepared to welcome the younger students. One student whose ancestral heritage was different from mine at first glance to them, approached me and said, “I have one more question: Do you like sooji ka halwa?”
I replied “Yes, I do. But I don’t call it sooji ka halwa”
“Really? What do you call it then?”, they asked.
In my mother tongue, we call it sheeraa” I said.
“It is cool that sooji ka halwa has another name. I have heard some people call it just sooji then?” the student said. “Yes”, I said. “Why is that?” the student asked.
I replied from a knowledge I had received over the years, and which has grown stronger since travelling far and learning from many. “Languages are beautiful. They grow and change over time and become richer also. The same thing can have many names and be experienced in many different ways by different people”
“Sooji Ka Halwa has many names then!”, the student remarked with a smile.
“And you know, sooji is semolina, so sooji ka halwa is “halwa/dessert made from sooji. Sometimes it’s called sooji also”, I said.
This was an unexpected sweet moment in my day and that evening, to commemorate that day, I made some sheera (or sooji ka halwa) following the recipe I learned from my Amma. I am sharing it here.
Perhaps if we meet sometime, we can connect over conversation about food that we know and love, even if they have different names. I am looking forward to those times.
Rashmee’s Amma’s Sheeraa Recipe 
Ingredients
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup sooji (semolina)
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp elaichi (cardamom) powder
Method
In a kadhai (thick bottomed pan or wok), add ghee and let it melt
Turn the heat down and add sooji gently
Keep stirring until the sooji changes to a pinkish colour and becomes fragrant.
After 3-4 minutes add two cups of milk and keep stirring until the mixture cooks well
Add sugar and elaichi powder and keep stirring
Put the pan on a frying pan for indirect heat (so it’s not directly on the stove)
Cover it
In a few minutes remove the lid and stir again.
The sheera is ready to share and enjoy!
I wish you many sweet experiences and special interactions in your travels…
With you, in solidarity
Rashmee Karnad-Jani
P.S: Before I left, the student smiled and said “I also like your shoes”
red and white sneakers against a white classroom floor.
My Earned Shoes
Preeti Deokharan 21st Century Learning, Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying

Fostering Equity and Social Justice in the Classroom: A Necessity 

Picture this–It is the beginning of the school year. Like most teachers, I spend the first month getting to know my students, their experiences, and their identities through a series of icebreakers, reflective questions, and one-on-one conversations. At our school, we place a strong emphasis on creating a sense of belonging for everyone, and one way we do this is by encouraging each grade to team up with another grade that is two to three years apart. This year, I arranged for my grade 5 class to collaborate with a grade 8 class, setting the stage for shared learning. 

One day during our large group discussion, as we sat in a circle sharing our thoughts on community, a student asked me, “Why do some people get treated differently because of how they look, and where they are from?” A seemingly straightforward question sparked a meaningful conversation about bias and discrimination in my room. 

Instead of dismissing the question or providing a simple answer, I used the opportunity to deepen our understanding of equity and inclusion. Together, we explored the concept of systemic biases and how they influence the narratives we encounter. 

We read picture books like Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai, When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson and Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love and discussed the importance of acknowledging the voices that have been marginalized or silenced, including those of women, people of colour, Indigenous voices and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. 

Over the next few days, I dedicated myself to learning and planning a project that would be truly inclusive, ensuring that every student felt represented, respected, and empowered to effect change. 

I began encouraging students to critically examine media representations and challenge stereotypes. We analyzed advertisements, products, and movies, identifying instances of bias and discussing their implications (e.g., who is being represented, what narrative is being pushed and why and how we participate to mobilize the bias further). Students created a list of how and where they have experienced privilege. They reflected on their positions of privilege and considered how they could use their voices and resources to advocate for marginalized voices. 

I could see and feel the empowerment my students felt. They began to share more of their experiences and make connections to their lives. This empowerment led us to decide on a project to make advertisements that positively used bias. Students chose topics like educational material and representation, health and beauty ads and financial ads and presented them to other classrooms. Through the process, students analyzed systems of oppression and began to envision alternative versions grounded in justice and equity. 

We know that incorporating equity and social justice into the curriculum isn’t just about addressing historical omissions; it’s about empowering students to become agents of change in their communities. I encourage all educators to continue in their efforts to address bias and promote students to advocate for a more equitable society. 

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education

Why Does Anything Matter?

Hello Fellow Travellers,

Much in the news. A lot of fluctuations that put the current weather patterns in the Greater Toronto Area to shame. I am not even looking elsewhere as I am busy with my own life. Therefore the question “why does anything matter?” became my title this time.

It is human nature perhaps to reassure ourselves that we are okay.

We’re not that other country.

We’re here, we’re okay, we are safe, we are well.

We say this to ourselves and to people in our lives especially children in our families or students in our classrooms.

But the events around the world – both near and far, send ripples into the calm waters that flow past us here in Ontario.

Publicly funded education does not operate in a vacuum and the decisions made in one country, one sector, one industry, one policy impact the guiding decisions made in another. This we know.

ETFO’s Response to Tariffs
As always, after my work day, before the evening takes over with meals and other chores, I read my non-Board emails. On April 9th, ETFO released this statement.
The section that stands out for me :
“Public education will not be immune to the ripple effects of this economic downturn. As government revenues come under pressure, there is an increased risk that funding for vital publicly funded services and institutions, including public education, will be scaled back. At the same time, Ontario families, many of whom are already struggling, will face even greater financial strain. For students, this can mean heightened barriers to learning and well-being, including hunger and stress, which compromise their ability to learn and thrive.”
How can I and we be mindful of this in our everyday work?
Mothering for Schooling
 
In the 1970s and 1980s, Canadian sociologist Dorothy Smith and her research partner, Alison Griffith began to notice the everyday ways in which their lives as mothers were interconnected with the regulation of the schooling practices that surrounded their children. They began referring to the gendered labour that gets done in homes as Mothering for Schooling (Griffith and Smith, 2005).
A green book cover with title "Mothering for Schooling" written in white capitalized lettering.
Mothering for Schooling (Griffith & Smith, 2005)
Over many decades, until their last collaboration published in 2022, Griffith and Smith spoke about how work that is done in one location impacts and influences the work that is done in another. They referred to this as translocal work processes. Educational work is filled with interconnected  tasks and processes. This we know.
Amidst all this, our students and their families are as impacted as everyone else by these global and translocal changes that regulate their everyday lives.
Every fund raiser, every field trip, every bake sale will impact families in ways that are invisibilized in the everyday busyness in work spaces. Let’s pause and think about that.
The Impact of Courageous Colleagueship
Let’s say I’m co-teaching with you, my colleague in your classroom and I have chosen a book or a topic that reflects my lived reality. I am excited to be teaching with you. You introduce me to your students and I begin to speak.
As a middle-class, professionally trained and gainfully employed cis-het woman with a confident manner and excellent fluency in the language of instruction, I may not be aware that the lived realities of the families in the classrooms don’t necessarily mirror mine.
After all, when I drove down the street to the school many times, I may have seen homes that are well constructed with sleek facades on ample lots. This led me to believe that all is well here. You, on the other hand, may know it is not the case. Especially now, in many places.
As I am busy with many aspects of my work, I make it through the work day with no time to spare for anything more than the absolutely essential pieces, so I haven’t read up about the neighbourhood in which your school is located. I may live far away from this neighbourhood, so I do not know what I do not know.
Steady Me & Guide Me
If I don’t step out of my bubble, I may continue the conversation in your classroom, speaking of my summer plans to visit this place or that, or some aspect of my life because I’m trying to be have a conversation.
As you are the colleague who knows the community and students well, please feel free to step in. Please speak about alternative experiences. Guide me, please.
Stand With and Walk Beside Students and Their Families
  • When you stand with and walk beside your students by introducing a counter narrative, you show them that you able to make their learning space safe and pleasant.
  • When you hold up a mirror to my presence and actions in your classroom, you will have given me an opportunity to examine my ignorance and bias. I shall be ever grateful.
  • You will have invited me to revisit ETFO’s invitation to engage with my professional learning and improve my professional judgement, not just in subject knowledge but also in anti oppressive practices. I shall not say ” I have taught for 21 years” and I will never walk away. I shall learn and improve my practice. I promise.
  • If I begin to speak about a student in their presence, feel free to whisper “later” and I’ll follow your lead.
Don’t let me stumble when I get wobbly.
I thank you for your colleagueship because that’s the collective heartbeat of our work as ETFO members.
If I lose my way, even for a little while, please lead me back to the path of equity and disability justice.
I shall do the same for you. I promise.
With You, In Solidarity
Rashmee Karnad-Jani