A greeting card with a small jar with a steel lid on the bottom left and a green pen on the bottom right hand corner of the note,
Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Education Funding, Equity, General, IEP, Inspiring Teachers, Reporting, Special Education, Teacher Wellness, Teachers Classroom Spending, wellness

Of Fall Planting and Receiving Mail


Once again, my fellow travellers I am speaking with you through the analogy of gardening. Nature and seasonal changes are comforting in their reliable predictability, after all. 

Fall planting is key for all those who garden in this part of the world or elsewhere. Gardeners and farmers plant bulbs including garlic now so that there is a harvest later when warm weather comes.

It’s been some weeks since we went back to school, you and I. Amid all the precarities and poli-tricks, the necessary work is being done by all of us in various roles as strive for student achievement and well being. 

The Cost of Everything

One reality that stands out at this time is that everything is expensive and some or many families in all our schools are also experiencing the rising costs of prices for everyday items that their children need on a daily basis.

The Unrelenting Pace of Work and Taking Time to Pause 
Everywhere, ETFO members are experiencing the relentless pace of work. We don’t slow down. Instead, you and I tend to keep going to get through whatever needs to get done because the next day brings another wave of tasks.
This is more than ever, a time to pause and ponder. I promise myself everyday, I shall not crumble under the demands that these times are placing on me, and neither will you. We will stand together and we will move forward. But for that to happen, for us to stay strong while we need to take care of ourselves and one another. We have to reach out to one another, because sometimes, we feel wobbly.

My Work Is More Than My Job Title

I am a Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) in my school district. That said, my everyday work is more than my job title. One part of my job is to collaborate with colleagues who teach exceptional students and will report their achievement. I coordinate IEPs* by curating the curriculum expectations, accommodations, instructional strategies and resources that the team of educators supporting that student have shared. I also offer strategies and resources for consideration. Notice that I didn’t say “I write IEPs” as it is a collaborative process. 

Member to Member Communication

Now, here’s the important point: as an ETFO member I am mindful of not directing the work of colleagues. Therefore, I don’t pick their subject expectations and accommodations for them. If they’re reporting on a subject area then it’s their professional judgement that is directing what is included in that program page. We do have collaborative conversations and we work together. The key aspect of my role is not just my job knowledge and expertise but the navigation of delicate passages through the colleagueship landscape. 

Deadlines and Deliverables: IEPS Go Home Within 30 Working Days

When IEPs go home is a key deadline in Ontario and a legally mandated one. As someone who has been a SERT for 20 years and a teacher for more, I am able to pivot quickly and manage my time. This often comes with much reduction of other activities including self care. During these days and evenings, I withdraw from many things as the job demands this of me.  Like your labour, mine too is largely invisible.  

And Then I Got Mail

On October 20th, 2026, IEPs went home and I came to the mailroom where my mailbox is my work hub. I saw an interoffice courier envelope. I opened it and I felt a warm surge of joy! It was a note from a dear friend who was a consultant in the Student Services  department with me. She was checking in to see how things were going. It was a joyful moment for me. 

That evening, the commute from work was longer than I expected, with much traffic and many twists and turns for errands I’d put off until the IEP deadline was met. I finally reached home and messaged my friend with a thank you. She sent me an IG post with a quote that spoke about planting gardens instead of dying on hills as a metaphor for what one does to stand by an unwavering belief. 

I have the note beside my couch and I pick it up on some days, just before the sunrise peeks through the almost bare branches in the distance.

Let us plant seeds in the Fall, so we have flowers in June. This term 1 IEP will be that Fall Planting.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

P.S:

*I understand that not all Ontario school boards work with IEPs this way. This is my reality  

Please review ETFO’s guidelines, The Individual Education Plan: Advice to Members for more information about IEPs.

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Classroom Layouts, Combined Grade Classes, Differentiated Instruction, Faculties of Ed, Learning About Your Students

Teachers’ Work and Letters that Arrive on a Monday:

Last year I had written a poem, the first blog post of the year that was called “Pouring Water on Sand?”

The imagery of pouring water into a space where it drains off and we never see an outcome germinate was very well received because it resonated with many colleagues and in wider circles where readers reside.

4th Week of September

Monday, September 28, 2026, was exactly that kind of day where I felt I had been pouring water on sand.

I was wondering if what I do matters at all. Does it really count for anything? Having a daily spring in my step when I plan lessons and activities with intentionality, the learning from AQs and professional workshops.

Does it matter? I thought it might be too early in the year to go there, but the heart and mind respond to grey skies and poli-tricks in such ways!

Heading home, I stopped for some appointments and checked my email at 7 p.m. and saw this, a letter that was waiting:

Hello Ms. Karnad-Jani,

I don’t know if you remember me from when you used to teach at [The School with the Gorgeous Sunrise].

Hope you have been well!

I never got to see you afterwards, but I have never forgotten about you.

I have completed a concurrent education to teach Secondary students. Thank you for always having faith in me, and encouraging me to keep pushing forward.

I have been teaching my students about the Q-chart and chunking texts, the things that you have taught me! How have you been? What’s new with you?

Hope to hear from you soon!

Best regards,

Your Student

                        *********

The Answers Come When We Need Them

Does what I do, matter?  I had asked myself at 5 p.m.

It sure came quickly,  the answer to my wonderings. In fact the email/letter was waiting patiently for me to finish my day and connect with My Purpose in the Work.

I am sharing this letter with you, my fellow travellers. I invite you to take care of yourselves as we head into October and November.

You and I are here for one another and for our students. And our students and their families are here with us, because they know that we walk together for public education.

The letters will come.  Trust me!

What you and I do matters…

P.S. The writer is one of my students from a Grade 7-8 class.  And here I am sitting with a cup of tea, thinking of the way life works.

With You, In Solidarity,

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Classroom Layouts, First Week Reflections, Learning About Your Students

September Blossoms

Hello Fellow Travellers,

Welcome back to you and me in our schools, classrooms, to our routines and to this special place where we connect and converse.

To those who are just coming to this space, welcome also. I am delighted to be able to return to The Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning for the 3rd term of writing as it gives me an opportunity to learn from and with you, my colleagues who write alongside, as well as everyone else who reads and responds to my writing.

Why This Greeting?

Like many students, families and colleagues in Ontario, I too am multilingual and in one of the my languages the word for people who are on the same journey especially metaphorically, are referred to as hum-suh-fur or fellow traveller. This is why I often address you as my fellow traveller.  We carry similar loads, sometimes more, sometimes less. We travel routes left for us by educators who taught our students previously and we will leave our footprints for others to look at and determine if they want to walk alongside or take a different route.

The Map for the Read Ahead

The map for the road ahead appears to be a fluid one and we get to determine with our students and colleagues how we would like to proceed. That said, there are many supports available to me and you from ETFO resources of which some key ones, I am sharing below.  Please visit, review and share with early career colleagues and those who have taught longer because just like we want our students to be lifelong learners, we too need to keep learning.

Register on ETFO Website and Login

When you register and/or update your contact information on the ETFO website, you can access a variety of rich resources created by members for members.

Also, you can get prompt access to the latest information from ETFO even if there is a time lag in getting it from the school-based stewards of your local.

Open Access Resources

These are some key ones that you and others will find helpful.

Pedagogy and Professional Judgement Series 

Thoughtful Assessment: Equitable Practices to Improve Student Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Some Previous Conversations

In the 2 years I have been connecting with you through this space, I am sharing some conversations that were well received ny colleagues that you may browse through to get to know me better.

Please write back and share what you want to talk about.

Welcome to ETFO

Of Lawn Signs and Talking to People

Leave Your Shoes At The Door

Supporting Special Education Needs: Part 3

As I say bye for now, please know that you are not alone though sometimes it may feel that way.

A light pink cosmos flower held between finger and thumb by the gardener who is wearing silver rings. The flower is set against background of green foliage.
September Blossoms

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, Diverse Learning Needs, English Language Learners (ELLs), Gender stereotypes, Learning About Your Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Teacher Appreciation, Women at Work

The Joys of Co-Teaching: A Grade 7 Experience (Part 1)

What Do You Value Most?

In the work that we do as ETFO members, many of us know and speak about the things we value most. Collaborative colleagueship, connections with families and time spent with students on a daily basis are the three things that matter a lot to me.  There are others but I shall speak about them at another time.

Collaborative Colleagueship

I have listed this aspect at the beginning because without this key ingredient, the other two do not quite work out the way one would like. Although we may be identically credentialed as Ontario Certified Teachers, we may have more in common with some colleagues in terms of beliefs, interests, advocacy practices and so on.  It is important, therefore, to listen and be present because even when people may have very different interests, our professional standpoints may align and lead to a long and productive working relationship. Therefore, an open mind and a learning stance are key. 

Connections With Families

Even though right now,  I am not in direct contact with families the same way as I was when I was a school-based teacher, I am always delighted when I attend school events, awards ceremonies, graduation or meetings with families because there are multiple opportunities to learn from people who know our students well.  That said, I am delighted that in September, I am going back to a school-based assignment as a Special Education Resource Teacher or SERT. 

Time Spent with Students

This is the heartbeat of the work that you and I do, isn’t it?

In the May-June period, I was invited to co-teach with a colleague and it was a Grade 7 classroom, the same spot where I started my career over two decades ago. I was excited and curious whether things have changed a lot in the teacher-student relationship since 2015, because that was the year I moved to teach Kindergarten to Grade 3 and then moved on to teach Grades 3-4.

Joining A Conversation 

Co-teaching is like joining a conversation. It is not about going in with “here’s what I know” but asking “what are you working on and how can I walk with you?” In collaborating with my colleague at this school, I learned that the students had been engaged in rich learning experiences and were at the stage of their learning where they were working on products such as videos and other presentation forms to showcase their understanding.  They were writing biographies. Their guiding question was “Who Deserves a Biography?”

Who Are You? 

 It is amazing how all students may have questions but whether they ask them directly or not is largely based on their age-grade-comfort level as well as other factors. 

In younger grades, there is never any qualm about asking who I am and what my favorite colour or ice cream flavour is.

Two scoops of ice cream with red plastic spoons stuck in each are sandwiched in a candy encrusted cookie set against the backdrop of a red table.
My not-quite-favourite ice cream flavours (when I was trying something new)

 In Grade 7, there is a distance, smiles and nods but no direct questions yet. So what do I do?

I Invite Questions

I say to students, “I am a visitor in your classroom and while your teacher has introduced me by name, I am sure you have other things you are wondering about. Please ask me one question per table group and we will go around one more time if you want to ask more.” I also let them know that I shall answer the questions the next time I visit the class so as not to take up too much of their class time that day. After some consultation, the students come up with questions.

Neither my colleague nor I  had to re-direct any questions because the students in all the classes where I have done this work keep their norms of engagement in mind it appears. 

The Questions 

  1. What challenges did you face in your life?
  2. What are some other jobs, study and career that you have done?
  3. What was your early life and household environment like?
  4. What made you want to be an author?
  5. What impact have you made on the lives of others?
  6. What is your current life like at home and outside?
  7. What were your life goals as a child?
  8. What are some of your achievements and accomplishments?
  9. Why did you immigrate to Canada?
  10. Where were you born?

These last two questions were greeted by sharp intake of breath by some students.  My colleague and I discussed later that in our next co-teaching visit, I would begin there. 

Reading Together

Remember this book I had spoken about in an earlier conversation with you? This copy was available in the classroom although I had brought my own.

I read it to the Grade 7 class and promised to come back when their teacher and I coordinate time to co-teach.  I thanked them for welcoming me. 

Heartfelt Thanks 

I am aware that everyone does not get such opportunities.

I am therefore deeply grateful when colleagues make room, pull up a chair, share their vision for their students’ learning. When we collaborate this way, it lets me see that these realities are very much present and possible in the brick and mortar buildings in which we do our work and if the conditions do not allow for this to happen yet, there are partnership possibilities across work sites. 

We do find our people. We just have to show up and tune in. 

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Inspiring Teachers, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Media Literacy, Social Justice, teacher efficacy, Teacher Working Conditions, Teachers Classroom Spending, Why unions matter, Women at Work

Of Lawn Signs and Talking to People

Big Words, Real Actions

Years ago in graduate school, specifically in my MEd programme at York University, I had taken a course on Gender, Race and Social Class especially because the last concept was important to me.

I’ve always known that class is the secret ingredient of oppression in addition to and intertwined with the BIG ones.

Social class always worsens the other oppressions that people experience.  

One of our assignments was observing public pedagogy how do you spread a message in society and connect with people about what matters most? At the heart of my learning, this was my takeaway. We can have plaques and posters, hashtags and bumper stickers.

Public Pedagogy is just a big word for “talking to people” and talking to people is an excellent and sustainable way of influencing ongoing action for social justice in education.

How I Was Raised Informs How I Show Up
At the All Members Meeting at our local on June 4th, President Mastin reminded us that the complexities of communities is a key factor.  We know this based on how our working conditions are impacted by the needs and strengths of the communities whose children are in our classrooms.
  • Some children have less.
  • Some children need more.
A gift card of 750/- does not make this reality go away.
  • I know about social class from living in a monochromatic demographic in all the cities I’ve lived in and travelled to in India. So I know what I’m talking about.
  • This knowing comes from being taught to notice and name. It comes from being invited to feel the discomfort of observing social inequities.
  • It mainly and above all comes from being raised by parents who reminded me: “Rashmee, look around you. What do you see and who has less than you do? What can you do to change this?”

A Sunny Breezy Saturday Morning

So here’s what happened this Saturday morning.

A neighbour is getting some work done in their backyard and the contractor pulled in to the street. I don’t usually see them as I’m at work long before this time.
Is That Your Sign?
A rectangular purple and maroon sign with the words "Together For Publicly Funded Education" written in white capitalized font. Names and logos of Ontario's publicly funded unions are on the white border at the bottom.
Lawn Sign That I Picked Up at Our Local’s All Members’ Meeting.
The gentleman pointed to this sign and asked what’s now the subheading above.
“Yes”, I replied.
“That’s very important to speak about and stand up for”, he commended.
I moved the conversation further, or what’s a weekend for? (A little Robert Browning inspiration there).
“Do you see here”, I asked… “It’s all the unions who represent who work in publicly funded in education.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that”, he responded. “My wife is a retired teacher. All of us need to talk about this.”
Deepening The Dialogue
Then I offered, “Would you like a lawn sign? I have some in my car”
“Let me check at home. I’ll knock on your door if I’d like one”, he said.
“I’m at work on Monday. I’ll leave one for you on the porch before I leave.” I offered.
I also mentioned that I also have a button if that’s preferred.
Theory to Action
My public pedagogy course was in 2011.  It is the doing of it that matters in the everyday work.
Whether with an ETFO YR banner at the Markham Cricket Academy ground thanks to the initiative that came to fruition through our Political Action Committee, or this conversation as I was outside, I continue to convert the theory into action and I am inviting you to join me.
Why Should I Care?
… people may ask us if you like me, walk through your spaces wearing your red shirt on weekends.
This Is What I say
  1. I understand your question.
  2. My children aren’t in school anymore.
  3. Not everyone in our communities is a parent.
  4. But we all know children, we know of children.

I say this because James Baldwin reminds us of this:

“The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.”

Walk With Me, Fellow Traveller
Take one small step with me.
Talk to just one person.
Then one more.
Then one more.
Because…
Talking to people matters.
Making this work a human connection matters.
Reaching out with a “would you like a button” matters.
Publicly funded matters because children matter, families matter, educators matter.
The political is personal.
With You, In Solidarity.
Rashmee Karnad-Jani
Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Special Education

Supporting Special Education Needs: Part 3

Special Education Needs In The Regular Classroom – Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Hello Fellow Travellers,

This conversation builds on previous ones that colleagues have had through ETFO and ones that I have also engaged in with you. I am going to share what stands out for me in the resource highlighted below

:

Beginning with the front matter, the following aspects are important signposts.

The Equity Statement reminds members of the goal of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario which is “to work with others to create schools, communities, and a society free from all forms of individual and systemic discrimination” (p. 2).  These system partners would be families, educators, paraprofessionals, external service providers etc.

Page 4 highlights the importance of Universal Design for Learning by emphasizing that while this resource supports the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder in the regular classroom, the information and tools highlighted here are useful for all students.  The strategies and practices we apply from this resource are geared towards supporting all students.

That said, if some students need individualized support, educators can reach out to families, to Special Education Resource Teachers, centrally assigned instructional coaches, consultants etc.

I always find that when I ask families which strategies work for them at home and in social spaces, this strengthens my practice, wherever it is possible to adapt these strategies to a classroom environment.

The section on Autism Culture and Community highlights some key aspects as below:

The Resource Says This Some Considerations
Use of the term autism, as we know it, began in 1943 (it had been associated with schizophrenia prior to this, starting in 1911). A lot has changed since then. The results of research, clinical work, educational policies, and listening to the voices of the autistic community have helped educators learn more about autism.  As all families and communities in Ontario may not have had access to the professional learning that educators have received, they may be at a different point in their understanding around autism.

It is therefore important to see these differences as opportunities to strengthen  community engagement with Autism Ontario’s local chapters and school board resources in multilingual and culturally responsive ways.

Different is not deficient. Different is different.
The current shift toward identity-first language is being led by the autism community itself due to its affirming quality and alignment with validating an individual’s identity and sense of self.

Referring to a person as autistic, then, is a gesture of acceptance and recognition that the identity has value. When in doubt and when possible, ask the person with autism how they would like to be described.

 Given their age and trajectories, students may not yet be able to determine how they would like to be described.

Also, families and students who have been caught in intersectional oppressions may see these well intentioned attempts at naming and questions about how the naming should be, as one more layer of being marginalized based on their experiences before or their apprehensions of what can happen.

Going by Universal Design for Learning, if good for all practices are implemented, then all students will benefit.
Many autistic people prefer the terms “high or low support needs” to “high or low functioning,” as the latter implies underlying judgment about an individual’s capacity and potential. Here, it is important to pay attention to the fact that when we say high and low support needs, it is also important to embed instructional approaches into our daily practice that provides opportunities for the student to achieve their fullest potential.

What does that look like during integration into other subject areas?

 What does member to member professional collaboration need to look like for student outcomes to be equitable and for ongoing growth and independence?

Severity Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

In my school district when we, as centrally assigned consultants present professional learning, we address this matter in this way:

Although diagnostic documents state that a student is at a Level 3, 2 or 1, students’ strengths, independence and need for support can be fluid from day to day also and can change over time.  So a student who is deemed Level 1 may need more support than what their diagnosis indicates if they are in an unstructured setting such as an annual athletic event on a field trip or if they are experiencing a change in their home or school environment with a parent being away on a trip or an educator or preferred adult at school is away for the week.

Human systems are fluid as are our students’ needs.

This is important to note because otherwise the paperwork can flatten and overshadow the student and their humanity.

Access Is Important 

At some of the schools with whom I am partnered, members have printed a copy of this resource for their work room. Easy access means that they can refer to this resource to support instructional planning, to guide professional conversations within educator teams, as well as for reference during In School Team Meetings or School Support Meetings etc.

Consider printing out this quote so that even when you are away, other educators who work with your students can take up your equitable outcomes mindset with them.

Read Part 1 of this blog here

Read Part 2 of this blog here.

Note: This resource is available at ShopETFO and also digitally on the ETFO member site. Click here.

In Conclusion

ETFO Voice articles and other documents explain that  “Professional judgement is defined, in part, as “judgement that is informed by professional knowledge of curriculum expectations, context, evidence of learning, methods of instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning.”

These resources will continue to strengthen members’ Professional Judgement so that all students can experience positive opportunities for learning and well-being from year-to-year irrespective of their socio-economic status and the advocacy skills of their parents and caregivers.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Building Inclusion, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Learning About Your Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Learning to learn, Play-Based Learning, Science, self reflection, Teacher Wellness, wellness

Pebbles In My Pocket

I grew up by the seaside, in 2 beautiful cities on the West Coast of India.

I am telling you this because I think this spatial-geographical context is important to our conversation today. I am always soothed by the sound of waves, and I like to pick up shells and pebbles. 

Although these days one can buy anything with the click of a button, the pebbles I have carried with me from place to place are my constant companions. 

I take care of the pebbles. The pebbles take care of me.

I sometimes gift a pebble to a friend or colleague so you may already know this story.

An index finger of a right hand pointing to Mumbai on the West Coast of India. The arm is in a black sleeve on which there is a silver bracelet.
My Roots in Mumbai and Goa on the West Coast of India

 

Being Seen and Remembered

At one of the schools I am partnered with, I was outside at recess, and some students came up to me. One of them said “I know you from somewhere a long time ago.” I smiled inwardly as educators tend to do while listening intently: a 12-year-old perhaps does have a long-ago sense of life. I welcomed that sentiment.

Then he asked me, “Did you used to carry pebbles in your pocket?”  His friends shifted uncomfortably, some chuckled at the question as it seemed odd to them perhaps. 

“Yes, I did.” I said, “I still do.”

And I held out my hand in which were pebbles, some glass ones – bought, and some collected.

Three natural and 3 glass pebbles in the open palm of a left hand. The person is wearing a silver ring in the shape of a lotus.
Natural and Glass Pebbles From My Pocket

“I knew it was you!” the student said, though he didn’t remember my name.  I am okay with that.

I remembered then, that when I was at another school supporting Kindergarten to Grade 4, students had heard of the pebbles and when we would be outside at recess, some would come by to explore the contents of my pockets.

The Pebbles Have a Job

I carry the pebbles for two reasons.

  1.     When I am in busy spaces such as grocery stores or in a bustling hallway, I reach into my pocket and the smooth, cold, pebbles ground me.
  2.     When I am with students in unstructured times, on a field trip or at recess supervision, the pebbles are a great conversation starter when accompanied with “look what I found the other day,” even if that other day was decades away.

Benefits of Pebbles in My Pocket

  • Students connect with these little pieces of nature’s wonder or coloured glass (which I keep in my hand the whole time –so there is no mouthing of unsafe items).
  •  Literacy connections with pebbles are many: the describing words flow – smooth, bumpy, big, small, cold etc.
  • Some students are adventurous and have more words in their vocabulary – I have been informed that one rock “has capillaries and looks like a kidney shaped eyeball”. 
  • It is lovely that they wait for my reaction at such times. Imagination is wonderful especially when the adult isn’t squeamish!

Self-Regulation, Co-Regulation and Troublemakers

I delight in reading the work of others who share their thoughts in this space. My ardent wish is that someday we can meet in person. Until then, I would like to share the writing of colleagues in this space whose thoughts enter this conversation.

Brenda MacNaughton’s writing  in 2025, invites the reader to think about the circumstances in which our students’ and families’ lives unfold everyday and calls us to consider what you and I need to consciously do when we engage with people in front of us.  

This got me thinking: How might I demonstrate and open up space for students when they are in my sphere of influence so that their burdens become lighter for some time? What do I need to do to reach out to social and community based support provided by the school district for the family to receive support while they deal with the ups and downs?

Preeti Deokharan recently wrote and this is exciting because this book is also referenced in the ETFO resource Special Education Needs In The Regular Classroom: Supporting Students with Behaviour Needs. Here, the writer highlights the importance of making small shifts in our approach that will make a difference.

The Pebbles Aren’t Just Pebbles.

  • They are a reminder of my humanity and what makes me who I am.
  •  They are also reminders that I can take care of myself in times when I feel wobbly.
  • Above all, they are a time to pause and be grateful for the tiny gifts of our workday. I continue to feel grateful for the wonder that children give me daily. This ability to see life as I did when I was a child is returned to me daily by the young people who use their imagination in miraculous ways to make sense of the world around them.
  • This realization gives me hope that the work you and I do is much more than pouring water on sand, especially on days when it feels like just that.

With You, In Solidarity,

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

 

 

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Education Funding, Equity, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Learning and Growth, Social Justice, Special Education, Why unions matter

Why Do We Organize for Public Education? 

Hello Fellow Travellers,

It is May and things are getting busier. Spring is being elusive. Dawn is dark and a bright day may end with a dull dusk. 

At this time, more than ever, when the waves of “What Just Happened in Ontario’s Education?” dash over me, I need something to look forward to and hope for. As do you, I am sure. 

 On my long commutes, I listen to podcasts and I recently turned to Elementary: A Podcast from ETFO once again. 

What always makes me smile on this podcast is listening to the voices of students because that is how each episode begins. This makes me sit up straighter and realign my purpose with the possibilities I can catalyze with students, colleagues and families, directly or indirectly.

 A Recent Podcast

One such episode that is extremely important especially as we move through May and June is the conversation on why we (must) organize for public education. It features the keynote speaker from ETFO’s Political Action Conference Dr. Lana Parker who speaks about protecting and defending public education. The title is “Why We Organize for Public Education

Key Points of This Podcast

  • Dr. Lana Parker holds a PhD from York University in Language, Culture and Teaching. Her research and writing focus on ethically informed pedagogy. 
  • The podcast highlights the reality that the underfunding of public education in Ontario did not happen suddenly and has “accumulated and accelerated over time”.
  • Beginning from Mike Harris’ government in the mid-1990s when Board funding models were changed there has been, Dr.Parker says, “a slow erosion of the education funding envelope”. 
  •  The podcast also highlights some effects of under-funding such as staff shortages, the nudge towards fundraising that school communities experience to make up the shortfall, the backlog of professionals such as support educators educational psychologists and other registered health professionals, as well as a decline in experiential learning and the arts. 
  • A demand for fees for extra curricular activities that make such important opportunities inaccessible for students based on their families’ means which widens the gap for their well rounded schooling. 
  • Educator burnout (we know this)

What stood out for me was the introduction of a critical idea of responsibilization → where beyond what you are responsible for, educators are made responsible for things that are out of our control due to underfunding.

Responsibility        →→ →→→→→→→→→→ →→ →→       Responsibilization                                (In this gap lie emotion, fatigue etc.)

The fatigue comes from being pulled between what one can do and what one is tasked to do due to underfunding.

 Why Does This Matter?

The website for Building Better Schools website has an Education Cuts Tracker. 

While there is talk out there in general about education cuts it is not until you type in the name of a neighbourhood school and see the numbers, does this harsh reality connect differently.

Although my children are no longer in school, I entered the names of schools in my neighbourhood.

I sat and looked at the screen for a long time. 

These are my neighbours’ children and grandchildren, these are the students who ride their bikes and wave to me as I walk in the park, these children are the future.

What Can You and I Do?

We can show up. We can participate. We can invite others to join us.

 You do not have to wait long because All Member Meetings are happening.

All Member Meetings

Find Your Meetings here, register to attend as needed, do tell your colleagues and friends from across the province, share on socials.

If you are a member of my ETFO local, I will see you there. 

Some Related Resources:

Class Action: How Ontario’s Elementary Teachers Became a Political Force

Labour Movement

Connect to your Labour Community 

Educator Organizations

Labour Organization Solidarity with Education Workers

ETFO and the Labour Movement

Let’s talk.

With You, In Solidarity.

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, agency, Anti-bullying, Anti-Racism, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Diverse Learning Needs, First Week Reflections, Indigenous Perspectives, Indigneous Ways of Knowing, Learning in a Real Life Context, Literacy, Making a Difference Through Education, Student wellbeing, Truth and Reconciliation

What Happened?

Where Are We?

The world is a strange place right now, more than ever. And educators want to help. We try and find ways to support students and their families through the difficulties they may be experiencing.  We need to be mindful of many things before, during and after our interactions in these endeavours.

Important…

This is the word that came to mind when I saw this video shared on social media. Scrolling through a screen I discovered “Communicating with Families Through a Trauma-Informed Lens” at https://etfopley.ca/pley-chats. 

“Educator Christine Galvin shares important elements of her approach to building meaningful partnerships with parents through a trauma-informed lens” the post said. I found the explanation accompanying the link to be very thoughtful as it invites educators to think through a variety of aspects while engaging with the material.

Let Us Examine Both Intention and Impact 

Sometimes the best intentions can have unintended impacts.  So it is with trauma informed work, and it becomes important to develop a mindset that allows me and you to step away from taking things personally and asking “What did I miss here? What do I still need to learn?”

I weighed out the pros and cons of consuming content in our busy, under-resourced work lives if we do so without critical self reflection.

My Stories Are My Stories

When reaching out to families, students and even colleagues whose experiences we think will help us understand others’ better, it is important to be mindful of intention and impact.

It is also very important to remember and understand that no one owes us their stories.

  • To those of us who have been through difficult times, while we value our experiences we don’t have to re-traumatize ourselves by over sharing to become believable when others question our trauma informed practice as can happen.
  • I always think when asked “So what happened?” … My life isn’t a story for you to consume is what I may think but I don’t say that.
  • Instead, I say “Thank you for your interest in my experiences.  However as this is my personal experience, I’m choosing not to speak about it.
  • While I am not always able to say this exactly as I have typed it here, due to power relations in the space I am in, I do my best to place boundaries when people get more curious than they need to.
  • I am mindful of the impact this has on me although I understand their well intentioned questions.
  • Also, we  don’t have to ask people to recount their experiences  by asking probing questions.
  • Especially with children and young people, as well as families who are socialized and trained by life experiences to answer all questions directed to them due to power relations, it’s important to not ask questions that I/you wouldn’t be comfortable answering if they were directed to us.

Some Tips

  1. Examine your biases.
  2. Listen with empathy.
  3. Keep the conversation confidential always.
  4. Keep your meeting notes in secure spaces as per the guidelines of your school board.
  5. Speak to people within the school and school board who has the institutional responsibility to support the next steps needed to support the family and student or staff members.
  6. Remember that people’s stories shared in confidence aren’t for public consumption –> staff rooms, workrooms, hallways or social media are all public spaces. 
  7. As educators, our role is to support and to find support. Never judge.
  8. Acknowledge that our talk becomes the official text when we write meeting summaries so read and revise language so that it pertains to students’ learning and well being, nothing else.
  9. Please read, share and implement ETFO’s Managing Current Events and Sensitive Issues: Tips for Members (Feb 2026).
  10. This is a very important resource for early career and experienced members alike. If colleagues in your schools have not seen this, do share.

 

Above all, Let Us Consider This…

Acknowledging humanity and the understanding that people have lived lives in other places before coming “here” is key.

Those who have ties to this land since times immemorial do not owe us their stories either. It is upto us to learn and demonstrate respect.

It is up to me/us to learn the history and look around right now to see what is unfolding.

Kindly reach out to the Mental Health Department in your school district for further support to engage with and strengthen Trauma Informed Practices.

Doing this work with others as a community based school-wide approach is very helpful as one is not alone and the learning is deeper and across all workspaces that provides a wrap around support.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Behaviour Management, Building Inclusion, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Differentiated Instruction, Diverse Learning Needs, Health & Safety, Integration, Professional Judgement, Social Justice, Special Education

Supporting Special Education Needs: Part 2

Hello Fellow Travellers,

In continuing our conversations around supporting special education needs, I am delighted to foreground the ETFO resource Special Education Needs In The Regular Classroom: Supporting Students with Behaviour Needs.

 

Firstly, this resource is an important one because it is written by ETFO members for ETFO members.

Also, it aligns with the work that we do in our classrooms and it honours ETFO’s definition of  professional judgement stated as “judgement that is informed by professional knowledge of curriculum expectations, context, evidence of learning, methods of instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning.”

1st Section

This resource begins with the Equity Statement and outlines ETFO’s Equity Initiative as well as highlights the definition of an Anti-Oppressive Framework. The “Why’ of the contents become visible right at the outset and prepare the reader to engage.

Table of Contents

The table of contents is outlined as follows:

  • Who Receives a Behaviour Exceptionality?
  • Building a Trauma-Informed Practice
  • Special Education in Ontario which highlights two key policies Policy/Program Memorandum 156 and Policy/Program Memorandum 145.
  • Addressing Student Needs
  • De-Escalation Strategies
  • References & Resources

Key Aspects

A quote from Carla Shalaby’s book “Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School” calls to the change maker in all of us. I especially pay attention to “the patterns of their experiences, especially those of older children, are well documented in what we know about the school-to-prison pipeline.”

The simple question “Who Receives A Behaviour Exceptionality?” invites reader to step outside the everyday busy-ness of our work and think deeply.

What did you think about?

Who came to mind?

 

Diagnoses and Details

The resource also highlights the different diagnoses that students receive through the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and discusses some with links to websites that invite educators to learn more.

Mental Illnesses  

In this section, the resource discusses the following:

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Mood Disorders
  • Eating Disorders
  • Personality Disorders
  • Disruptive Behaviour Disorders

Applying an Anti-Oppressive Lens to Behaviour Needs

This section, placed right after  the different categories of mental illness, brings the reader face-to-face with the human aspect of our work. It invites educators to think intentionally and deeply about why it is important to apply an anti-oppressive lens to behaviour needs in this way:

“A behaviour exceptionality and the diagnoses related to it may require ongoing observation and report. However, the language used by society to describe behaviour is value-laden and soaked in judgment. As educators, we must utilize an anti-oppressive framework to guide our observations so that we can be as objective as possible.”

This resource reminds us that anti-oppressive practices are not theoretical terms, book clubs  or hashtags. They are actions that we need to do.

You and I have to do the work of anti-oppression.

These are important reminders.

Reflection Section

There is space in this resource for each one of us to turn our gaze inwards and to ask questions such as “what strategies can I use as an educator to stay calm and regulated when a student in my care is escalated and or demonstrating behaviours that are challenging?”

I liked this one as it brought me to a moment of calm which I use when working with students in classrooms or when I am in less structured spaces such as outside at recess or in the hallway.

 

 At The Heart

What resonated for me at the heart of this document are these words:

“Our goal with this resource is to support educators in exploring and redefining discipline protocols from a place of opportunity, with the initial perceptual shift on adult well-being as a cornerstone. Recent research emphasizes that true discipline for our students begins with an adult whose brain feels safe, calm, and still.”

Please read, implement, talk about and share this ETFO resource with colleagues in your professional learning network.

I for one, am delighted that in my school district, on the January 30th PA Day, all of us got to engage with this resource and that it has been showing up in collaborative conversations in many school teams with whom I am partnered.

Much appreciation to the contributions of ETFO members, Lisa Dunbar and Joshua Dickson who have been acknowledged on the page 2.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Read Part 1 of this blog here.

Note: This resource is available at ShopETFO and also digitally on the ETFO member site. Click here.