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
Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Anti-bullying, Before School Starts, Building Inclusion, Equity, General, Inclusion, Mentorship, Professional Learning and Growth

The Importance of Questions (Part 2)

Noticing The Questions

As I  composed this piece in the last weeks of December, I was aware that it has the potential of being more than a 2 part piece. I continue to notice questions in everyday professional spaces. Questions asked around me stand out because the language that goes from seemingly innocuous talk to formal texts that in turn guide trajectories of educational work and the outcomes for students.

If those outcomes unfold on paths of equity and social justice, I always look deeper for the driving gear: who is the person – parent, family friend, educational worker or combination of all three or more who have made it their mission to ensure that that student achieves their fullest potential. 

Also, sometimes the topics I write about invite readers to take a deep and honest look around so that we can be authentically inclusive in our professional practice towards all with whom we interact. A twinge here and there is therefore okay, it helps us sharpen out growth mindset as ETFO members.

Some Spaces Are Special

A black metal park bench beside a walking track with three red-leafed trees behind it. The grass around it glows in the sunshine
A Special Park Bench (Karnad-Jani, 2024)

Notice this beautiful bench situated along the walking track around the cricket pitch beside the school with the gorgeous sunrise where I worked for 14 years. In 2018, after considering many factors, mostly around breathing room and well being, I had decided to move to another school. But I still walk here every season as long as the paths are ice-free. So it was that one late summer in the last week of August, shall we say, I met up with a former student now an educator who wanted to talk through some career decisions.

Such walks are mutually supportive as I can give back to the communities of practice that steady me and another educator can have an unconditional space to air their ideas and possibilities. We walked a few laps and sat down to take in the view. A warm breeze was blowing and I was thinking of 6 students in my last three years at this school with whom our team used to walk this track daily for our observation skills, social skills, and conversational and communication goals with our flip and talk books etc. One student had clearly described this very bench as “A park bench is like a chair that’s outside. It is longer than the chair inside our class and you can’t pick it up.” How delighted we were at this description! It is one of the special memories of that time

 

What are YOU doing here?

Just then, someone I knew from years ago stopped in front of me and demanded, “What are you doing here?” and without waiting for a response, walked on.  My walking companion was as startled as I was at this interaction if one could call it that. “What was that, Ms. Karnad-Jani? They did not even wait for a response.”

My heart beat quickened from past memories of having faced this question in various spaces. 

Deep breath in. Look around. Exhale. I was glad I was in a beautiful space outside that helped me compose myself. We walked some more and that was that.

I have thought about this question often as it appears in our lives in many ways.

When one is asked “What are YOU doing here?”  we can claim space individually and collectively to support one another when this question comes up  that may challenge our very presence in some, many, any spaces.  

I am sharing Claiming Space: Self-Identifying With My Union from 2018 which is always relevant. Also please read the Letter from the Editor highlighting the writing from the issue in which this article was published.

Also, always consult and implement the guidelines outlined in ETFO’s Terms of Use when using any published materials in professional learning and elsewhere because all of us who write academically and professionally work very diligently to think about the ideas we share with you. 

 

"I am ETFO" button with the word "also" added in reads " I am also ETFO"
I wear my “I am ETFO ” button proudly.

With You, In Solidarity,

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, Assessment, Assessment and Evaluation, Constant Learning, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Judgement, Professional Learning and Growth, Report Cards, Reporting

How did I do?

This is a busy time for ETFO members. It is also an important time of the year for students and their families.

The first term report cards have been written , reviewed, revised and are being prepared to be distributed. In addition, there are IEP updates to complete for Term 2. What we had planned to teach, that which was taught and assessed, now moves on the next stage of communication with our partners in education – students and their caregivers.

The Importance of Report Cards
Report cards are institutional texts that contain important information because they determine a student’s trajectory through the K-8 panel and from there, to and through high school.
These texts also greatly impact what families do with the time and material means that they have at their disposal after they receive report cards.
I remember a mother who participated in my research in April 2019, an Occasional Teacher in the GTA at that time, who had said that she bought practice books for her children from garage sales before she started working and bought them in shops after she had a job. Affordability of resources is a key factor.
Whether families have experienced challenges to access education in their lives or have had many equitable opportunities, all families and caregivers want positive educational outcomes for their children.  We may not all speak the same language, have identical accents, worldliness or insider language of education, but all  caregivers do their best with the material means that are available to them. This we know.
Sometimes, that which is seen as reluctance or reticence can be the result of huge burdens that some families carry as well as broken trust due to the experiences families have had. But that is another thought for another time.
A and E Professional Learning: What do I do?
I read the ETFO bulletin board regularly when I am in the physical work space, and I also read ETFO emails promptly.
As a centrally assigned special education consultant, I work in classrooms alongside teachers and students. On colleagues’ invitation, I support IEP writing. I also co-plan and co-teach.
Sometimes, I am invited to work with colleagues when they write report cards. They may ask me look over student work with them and we engage in rich conversations.
I believe that engaging deeply in ongoing learning strengthens my professional judgement.  Our local offers professional learning workshops on a variety of topics and one that recently caught my attention was on assessment and evaluation.  It was very valuable learning delivered by one member from our local and one member who was from another local.
By Us, For Us, With Us
Professional learning designed by members for members based on the areas that we want to focus on, is a great way to strengthen one’s practice. The PL committee at our local spends time thinking through these aspects. After the committee sends out surveys asking about our PL needs, the gathered data are used to curate meaningful PL offerings. This is much appreciated by me and many. The sessions fill up quickly.
Especially with new curricula guiding our work, thanks to this Assessment and Evaluation PL, I feel a sense of shared purpose with my colleagues.
All of us, as ETFO members can access this learning and have a common platform and language related to A and E. I am therefore sharing ETFO’s Assessment and Evaluation page.
I use it often and I add it to the list of resources I curate for colleagues when they ask for specific A and E related strategies. I invite you to review the resources here. Please use them and share them with others. Whether you are an early career member and an experienced member, we all benefit from ongoing learning.
An orange rectangle with the words "ETFO Members Sharing in Assessment. ETFO's logo is in the top left corner.
ETFO’s Assessment and Evaluation Page

The tabs at the top of the page lead us to important information such as:

  1. Assessment For Learning (AFL) Cycle
  2. Tools
  3. Tools by Division
  4. The ABOUT link consists of a webinar on the main topic of A & E followed by sections on Assessment For Learning, Assessment As Learning and Assessment of Learning.
Please check out the PL offerings from your local. Visit the ETFO bulletin board in your worksite.
Just like students, I also wonder sometimes “How did I do?” So, thank you to all who are leaving comments in response to my writing and are engaging in conversations when we meet in schools and work spaces as well.
With You, In Solidarity.
Rashmee Karnad-Jani
Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, agency, Building Inclusion, Celebrating Success, Inspiring Teachers

There are different ways to make a difference 

It is almost the end of the year and we have been talking for a while.

After my recent conversation with you, I got several emails and messages. Some colleagues posted their comments below the blog and others wrote to me. Some called while others mentioned their feedback when they passed me in school buildings. I also received one very important question “I want to write for ETFO also. Where do I begin?

Where I Began

When I was growing up in Goa, a beautiful state on the western coast of India, I always liked receiving the magazines to which my father subscribed- for himself, my mother and me. In addition, we also received one from our community called The Kanara Saraswat. I used to wait eagerly to receive the publications and would pore over them when they arrived.

The magazines were written in English, Marathi and Hindi. My parents wanted me to be able to read and write in many languages because they knew that as I went through schooling and university, I would be immersed in English. As wise visionaries, they wanted me to retain my rich multilingual literacy and I have. I can read, write, think in Hindi, Marathi, Konkani and English and I am very thankful for that.  In those magazines,  I would love to read a particular author or series by the same person.

One day, I think in Grade 5 (or 5th standard as we said in India) I tried to write a school essay along the same lines as one of my favourite writers and …. my Amma, a high school English teacher caught on.  She used to read over my writing because she liked to and she saw that this piece didn’t sound quite like me.

So Amma said “ Write like yourself. You’ll see you have a lot to say and you have your own style and strengths. Find them and sharpen them.” While that entire conversation was carried out in our mother tongue, I’m translating it here to accommodate for our monolingual readers and non-Konkani colleagues 😉.

Receiving the Voice

I have not outgrown my love for reading what others write.  Over the years I’ve enjoyed receiving the Voice in the mailbox. I read Sharla Falodi’s article and thought deeply about the importance of claiming space.  I also read Sangeeta McAuley’s words written long before CRRP was part of a job title in schools and school boards. This piece helped me reflect deeply and make many connections to my practice with students and their families: just because I was a landed immigrant in 2002 didn’t make me an expert on others’ lived realities was my take away. This was 2018.

There are so many inspiring pieces to be found in  Archive | ETFO Voice that if you browse these issues, you’ll remember the ones that connected with you over the years.

Timing is Important 

When I read the work of writers whose ideas connected with the lived realities of the work that members do in schools, or something new that I had not yet tried, I experienced a faint stirring, a tingle in my fingertips that made me think that this was possible for me too perhaps. So I asked around about where to begin and with a lead, I wrote to the editor. Although I shared a few ideas, I didn’t write for the Voice yet.

It wasn’t until I’d written and submitted my doctoral dissertation in 2021 that I decided to write for ETFO. I sent in my piece “Mothers and Teachers: Two Sides of the Same Coin” in which I spoke of the blended standpoint based on two decades of living here and  on my ten years of graduate work.

(In this article when I say “If this were my child, what would I do, wish for and fight for.” I do not mean biological children alone. I speak of the relationship with all the children in our extended families and in our friendship circles. I speak of the special care we extend to the the young people in our personal lives).

If you are considering writing for the Voice, here is some important information to review.

Writing for the Heart and Art of Teaching Blog

I have been a member of my ETFO local since 2004 when I started working as a permanent full time teacher. It wasn’t until 2012 when I had an unpleasant experience at work and I stood up for what’s right that I contacted someone at the local office to seek guidance on how to get formal support to engage in courageous conversations.  These things weren’t happening to me yet, but I wanted to speak up when things happened to others around me.

I haven’t looked back since that evening. I served on the Political Action Committee that year and the Social Justice Committee the next time. I served with both these committees once more over the years, once during the pandemic.

Then this year I thought I’d serve through the New Members’ Committee at our local because as time moves on, one plans to leave behind some memorable steps that can lead to a better working environment for  colleagues who come after us.

Also because I wanted to connect the dots between my interest in writing with ETFO Provincial and this work with my local, I saw the opportunity to contribute to the conversations through a writing role with ETFO’s Heart and Art of Teaching & Learning and applied. Here is some information if you want to learn more about this blog.

It Takes Time

It took me 9 years (from 2012 to 2021) to get from that first phone call to the local to this point of having regular conversations with all of you.  For many who are used to having things happen quickly, perhaps this seemingly meandering process is frustrating. But it isn’t a waste of time.

During this waiting, one becomes more aware of oneself and our working conditions with every passing day. The professional and personal become more seasoned, the struggles become more relatable and the solidarity becomes more real as time moves forward. One has to want something with deep dedication in order to not give up.

One also has to stop caring what other people will think.

Those of us who’ve done things differently and who have made our mark off the beaten track have always been asked “Who do you think you are?” And we don’t bother to respond to that question, do we?

We walk strong. We strengthen others.

That is The Work that goes beyond the job.

Many Paths

There are different ways to make a difference. We don’t all have to be active in ETFO’s provincial or local formal networks. We don’t have to be elected to office though that’s wonderful too if that’s what calls to you.

An institution like ETFO (yes, a union is an institution also) has provincial initiatives like the AGM and locals have their own events planned by the social committee, the goodwill and awards committee or the professional learning committee

But this much I know: no matter how many things are done at the provincial and local level, it is only when everyday working conditions are truly equitable and respectful for each and every member in the schools where we do this important work, that we can say that we are in solidarity, 100% there for one another.

So reach out to ETFO Locals , if not for yourself, to make someone else’s life easier.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, agency, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Mentorship

We Are (also) The System 

The Joy of Being With Students

I am always grateful for the opportunity of being with students in the schools where I have worked and the classrooms in which I now co-teach. These interactions with students in the hallway, school yard or while entering the school are very precious because they always remind of my purpose in this work. 

In a Grade 1 classroom the other day, there was talk of dinosaurs because one backpack had them and several sweaters did too. I was waiting with the students for their teacher to come in from supervision duty.  For a short time, I was in the spotlight because they remembered from a previous visit.

Then one of the students had a bright idea: “Let us see if Ms. Kaar-naad knows the names of at least two of the dinosaurs” The whispers of “she may not know them, we may need to help her” were very heartwarming.  It is humbling that children are gracious and kind towards the grown-ups in their lives. 

I could name at least 2 dinosaurs as asked and I was in! 

The System and Our Work

One of the Big Words that comes up often in school-related work is The System  

When I was in the classroom as a teacher from 2004 to 2020 and since then, working side by side with colleagues’ in their classrooms, it often felt (and still does) as if it was just me, students, colleagues and families.  But there are times, when in spite of of the strongest efforts and best intentions, things move slowly or do not move at all.

At such times, I say and we say: “It is the System.” Out of sight, yet in our lives always – The System towers over us. Educational work, whether done in our classrooms or in the homes of our students by their families, unfolds in its shadow.

This pervasive and powerful System is everywhere and we speak of it often. We tacitly know that it exists. We say that The System determines the inequities in education, social and professional spaces. We notice and name Systemic Barriers that hold back student outcomes, and even our Higher Ed admissions to programs that we plan to get into, as educators.

We also see systemic barriers interlock with families’ home lives that in turn impact our working conditions and students’ learning conditions. This last issue often occurs when internationally trained professionals are invited to Canada through various pathways, and when they settle in Ontario, they go through many, sometimes never ending cycles of under-employment or unemployment. 

So where do we go from here, when The System holds all of us in its grasp and impacts the lives of so many?

Learning Together: The Triangle of Power

ETFO’s Anti-Oppressive Framework: A Primer is an important document for all of us to review and become familiar with. I am pleased to share that it was also intentionally brought into view for members by the York Region local’s Anti-Oppression Task Force a few years ago.

It is a very readable and relatable resource and allows the reader to actually see in a new light, the everyday work spaces in which we are immersed.  What stands out for me and many who have made this resource a key aspect of our practice is The Triangle of Power (p.9).

Diagram titled "The Triangle of Power Provides a Helpful Approach"; showing triangle with "Power" written inside, "Individual Action", "Institutional Barriers", and "Ideology" at the three vertices, double-headed arrows connecting each idea.
The Triangle of Power (Anti-Oppressive Primer, ETFO, 2021)

The Triangle of Power highlights three vertices: Ideology, Individual Action and Institutional Barriers and explains them in very easy-to-understand language. ETFO members can connect with this visual in our busy lives and  weave the learning into our jobs, the conversations in which we participate, in professional learning that we develop, deliver or attend as well as ways in which we engage with families, students, as well as with one another. 

The Anti-Oppressive Framework Primer explains the 3 vertices as Ideology, Individual Action and Institutional Barriers. 

For the purpose of this conversation, I have changed the order  as below:

Institutional Barriers

“The corners of the triangle — ideas and actions inform and result in institutional inequities. This can be seen in systems/structures such as the media, the justice system, politics, education, religious institutions and union spaces where inequities based on lack of representation, over-representation, omissions, discriminatory policies are present.”

The reason I have placed Institutional Barriers as the first consideration is because they tower above us as we go about our day as they do for students and families. Institutional Barriers are high up above the classrooms and other spaces where you and I do our work. Their impact is also felt all around us but they are invisibilized in the busy pace of our lives and we do not always notice them. 

Ideology 

“If we are to consider that as human beings, we are all informed by our ideas (ideology) which in this case, can be displayed through generalizations, assumptions, implicit or explicit biases and stereotypes that one may hold about individuals or groups, it is these constructed and learned ideas that inform the way one behaves towards people.”

I have placed Ideology 2nd in this list of 3 vertices because our ideas are so well marinated in our implicit and explicit biases that they become tacit knowledge and then evolve into “a fact.” This can apply to stereotypes about one another, students, their families, the places colleagues and families got their educational degrees and so on. 

“Who, me?”, people may say when you speak of ideology to them. And that’s exactly it.  Ideology is also invisibilized and quite easily deniable. 

Individual Action 

“Discriminatory behaviours, often unintentional, can take the form of actions towards individuals or groups of people. These acts may appear in the form of conducts such as name-calling, inappropriate comments to more violent and pervasive physical acts such as bullying, assault, segregation or omissions. Some behaviours are more insidious and less able to be obviously detected. For example, comments about a racialized or Indigenous person’s hair, or asking someone where they are from, can be identified as microaggressions.” 

I have placed Individual Action as the last vertex so that you and I can focus our attention on it and remember it well. 

I am inviting you to join me in critically examining the role that you and I can play in upholding oppressive practices unless we hold ourselves accountable everyday, in every interaction. 

We are (also) The System

The Triangle of Power makes it very clear that We are (also) The System because each corner (vertex) holds a specific part of oppression.

If you and I choose to hold up a specific part of oppression through our individual action, we are (also) a part of oppressive practices. Mathematically, if the third vertex (individual action) is not there to hold the structure in place, it is not a closed figure. It is not a triangle anymore. 

While I do not think that Individual Action alone can break down Institutional Barriers or shift ideology because they are very powerful, I do believe that each one of us has an important role to play in how the other two vertices have an impact. 

  • After all, oppression is action: it occurs when someone does something oppressive.
  • Thankfully, anti-oppressive practices are actions too. You and I have to actually do something anti-oppressive.

Let’s dismantle the Triangle of Power at every opportunity we get by making our Individual Actions in educational settings anti-oppressive.

When you feel wobbly, reach out. There are many fellow travellers engaged in anti-oppressive practices in local and provincial settings.

We will help one another.  I also invite you to read, practice and share ETFO’s Anti-Oppression Primer.

With You, In Solidarity

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Rashmee Karnad-Jani Advocacy for change, agency, Building Inclusion, Feedback, Why unions matter, Women at Work

How Is Everything?

Keeping Pace with the Calendar

The school calendar marches on. As I write this post, progress reports are being read, revised and will be shared soon. Interviews with families will be coming up in a few weeks. Even as I remember those days and the rich discussions of those times, now I find joy by walking alongside colleagues.

I see how busy it right now in the work spaces where we spend our days. Hallways, classrooms, school yards… everywhere. Sometimes it feels as if Friday to Friday is one chunk of time and it’s as if on the last day of the work week, I am able to exhale when I hadn’t even realized I was holding my breath.

This Friday, after work, I checked my phone before putting it away for the night. A friend was checking in.  This special person is a kind human being who in addition being a passionate and caring educator diligently shares spider plants with me regularly which in spite of my green thumb haven’t lived past the six month mark. I value this friendship greatly!

A blue text message bubble with the words "How is everything?"
A Friday-evening check-in from a friend

How Does One Respond?

We often ask each other this question, don’t we? “How is everything?” We ask because we care but is there time to share all the ups and downs of the day when you and I know the person who’s asked has their own load to carry?

Perhaps you’re thinking “Rashmee, three posts ago you’d said if you get wobbly reach out to someone.” Yes, I had and that’s possible but there’s a time to share and a time to say “all is well”. Also, in that moment at the end of the week, we need to set down the day and rest. Imagine if one truly took up the question “how’s everything?” and poured ones heart out to people who ask. What would one say?

So here’s something I do: I remember that everything is what I make of it really. Everyday a goal I set for myself is to leave each space just a little better than I found it, even if it’s through a five minute interaction or a one hour consult.  Then I let it go. This is a skill that I practice everyday, because without that I’d be less efficient and empathetic in my work.

Learning Together 

Especially when the school year goes from week to week, the importance of staying well informed cannot be stressed enough. More so, when it’s time for decision making, voting for important matters to move forward,  it is important that we as members know what has been going on around us even as we focus on what is going on within us and between us.

Whether you’re just getting started or have been working for a long time, please check Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario – Home regularly.

Did you know about Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario – Publications ?

Have you listened to  Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario – Elementary: A podcast from ETFO where each podcast episode is introduced by students?

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario – ETFO eNewsletters also have  lot of important information that is shared again by my local, so I get to notice it twice. This is how I signed up for The 2024 ETFO Listening Tour and am looking forward to attending on November 19th with colleagues at my local.

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario – Labour Movement has a rich history and there is a book called “Class Action: How Ontario’s Elementary Teachers Became a Political Force”. I enjoyed reading it and wrote a review about it in ETFO’s Voice. Check it out. Who came before us? What did they fight for? What are we working towards for those who walk alongside now and what do we leave behind for those who come after us? These are key questions that I invite you to think about.

Another exciting resource I’ve discovered is Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario – Welcome to ETFO Booklet and as a member of the New Members Committee at our local, I am looking forward to the conversations that ripple out from here.

Holding The Door Open

Many years ago, I think in 2011, I went looking for support from a released officer at our local, through a phone call after a long and heavy day. I recognize that moment as the turning point because since then, my participation in ETFO’s activities through reading, sharing, writing and volunteering increased exponentially. I also do something I call “holding the door open”: I invite others to connect with elected members within our local and build relationships so that they are not alone.

So, this week, while leaving many thoughts and wonderings behind on a Friday evening, I decided to do something as it was my pre-Winter commitment:  I connected four friends to the released officer of our local via email – with permission of course. They may not need anything right now but when they do, they know whom to contact. Small steps matter.

The Social Organization of Knowledge

The social organization of knowledge (how we share information through informal networks and make it relatable to our contexts) is critical because it strengthens us as individuals and as a collective.

When we are connected with one another in times of calm, it strengthens how we stay on the path of solidarity  in challenging times.

There is a saying in in Konkani, my mother-tongue “ One doesn’t dig a well when one gets thirsty”. So, let us dig a well before we need to.  Do check out the resources I have shared and let us find one another.

What next?

This is my fourth conversation with you. Thank you to all who have responded to the writings with your connections, memories, a single sentence – all of which are precious for me.

I’d love to hear from you about topics that interest you.

What are you thinking about?  What do you want to write about when you decide to step into this space? What do you want me to write about?

And above all: How is everything?

With You, In Solidarity,

Rashmee Karnad-Jani

Iyanuoluwa Akinrinola Advocacy for change, General, Wellness, wellness

The Quiet Strength of Rest

“There is no urgency. There is no perfection. I am enough now” – Tricia Hersey.

In classrooms bright where knowledge blooms,
Amid the books and busy rooms,
Educators guide with hearts so true,
Yet need the quiet to renew.

From dawn till dusk, they give their best,
But even heroes need to rest.
For in the pause, the silence deep,
Their minds and spirits strength can keep.

The screens’ bright glow, the endless calls,
The papers stacked in towering walls,
Can wait a while, for rest must come,
To soothe the soul, to still the hum.

In peaceful moments, healing grows,
From violence faced, new courage flows.
In quiet moments, wisdom grows,
In restful peace, new energy flows.
The weary mind finds space to breathe,
And from the stress, their hearts are freed.

So let the summer bring calm and dreams,
Where sunlight through the window streams.
For educators’ hearts, so full of care,
Deserve the gentle, healing air.

In rest, they find the strength to teach,
To guide, to mentor, to inspire each.
For every child deserves the best,
And educators give such, when they have rest.

So cherish rest, and cherish peace,
Let every worry find release.
For in the balance, we find grace,
A rested mind, a gentle pace.

Dear educators, take this time,
To rest, to dream, to softly climb.
For in your quiet, you will find,
The strength to shape each growing mind.

“Rest is a beautiful interruption in a world with no pause button” – Tricia Hersey

 

Reference:

Hersey, T. (2023). The Nap Ministry’s Rest Deck: 50 Practical Ways to Resist Gring Culture. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA.

Iyanuoluwa Akinrinola 21st Century Learning, Advocacy for change, Anti-Racism, Black History Month, Black Lives Matter, Building Inclusion, Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, Curriculum Planning, Equity, General, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Learning About Your Students, Making a Difference Through Education

Why I Got Involved In Education: Black Student Success and Excellence.

A number of ETFO locals have included educational programming with Graduation Coaches connected to Black communities to serve as mentors to Black students, offering intensive, culturally responsive support.

Below are insights from a Black Excellence Graduation Coach.

Education has always been emphasized in my home. I still remember my parents hanging their university graduation photos from Nigeria in our houses’ hallways. Whether intentional or not, it inspired me to aim for university and, even after graduating, to continue climbing the academic ladder. This inspiration fuels me to this day.

However, in my academic pursuits, I have always understood that education—the process of gaining insights into a particular subject—does not always occur within the confines of brick-and-mortar schools. From observing, interacting, and learning from my siblings, parents, friends, and members of my African-Caribbean community, I learned that what people are taught strongly influences how they think and behave. I am a testament to this ideology, having benefited from the lessons my wonderful parents taught me at home. I learned from my Black community the importance of time management, embracing my Blackness, respecting others’ opinions, managing my emotions, critical thinking, and the unique experience of being Black in Canada. These lessons greatly impacted my academic performance.

In the paragraphs above, I touch on three main points: inspiring youth, the importance of cultural understanding in learning, and the influence of executive functioning skill development on learning. These points, combined with my thirst for knowledge and passion for caring for children and youth, drive my decision to wake up each day and actively shape students’ education. However, I am not in a stereotypical classroom.

Inspiring Youth

“Is that your little brother?” one of my peers asked as I walked away after spending 5 to 10 minutes coaching a kid I had just met at drop-ins on how to shoot a basketball and properly perform drills to improve his game. Intrinsically, I enjoy helping youth and inspiring them to build their skills or see beyond their present situation. Although my parents were academically inclined, school didn’t always come naturally to me, but having their achievements around me greatly inspired me to see beyond my present shortcomings. Unfortunately, some youth don’t have that level of support, and it may not always be provided in the classroom. That’s where I come in. In my role within the school and the work I do in the community, inspiring youth, especially Black youth who have historically been negatively affected by systemic issues, is vital to their educational performance.

The Importance of Cultural Understanding in Learning

Growing up, I didn’t have many teachers who highlighted the cultural differences among my peers and me, allowing us to see those differences as a means of learning and improving our academic potential. In elementary and high school in Canada, the only thing I learned about Black people was that they were once enslaved in America and came to Canada for safety. I also learned about famous civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. However, as educational philosophers would say, my culture and the cultures of others were not used to “call out our subjectiveness,” the unique aspects that help us see ourselves meaningfully in what we are learning. Fortunately, I grew up in a diverse neighbourhood with people from around the world and different religions, which helped me understand myself and see the world from different perspectives. Growing up with positive and negative examples of Black North American and Nigerian African cultures helped me see things about myself that were not represented in the classrooms and schools I attended. However, I struggled to see myself represented in education and learning at school unless I had a Black teacher. Learning that I was fortunate to have more than two Black teachers in the Ontario education system, I realized the value they added to my education. Research shows that when students have Black educators who are culturally relevant in their teaching, Black students tend to excel academically because their culture is represented in positions of authority and leadership.

The Influence of Executive Functioning Skill Development on Learning

The education system is meant to prepare students for life, guiding them to acquire skills and knowledge to contribute socially and economically to their communities. However, too often, students go through school focusing on grades without learning life skills that would help them apply their academic knowledge. These skills are often left to parents to teach and are only enforced in schools when students misbehave. Understanding that teachers managing over 100 students may only have time to reactively address life skills, I researched culturally relevant teaching practices. I found that integrating these life lessons in the classroom improves student academic achievement. This is especially true for Black students who frequently face microaggressions and biases. To assist teachers in drawing the best from their students, I got involved in education to help students see themselves beyond their current school experience and think about their future, providing them with the skills to reach their goals.

Conclusion

Once again, I reiterate that education is the pillar of society and cannot be ignored. What community members learn, whether directly or indirectly taught, strongly determines how they think and behave. Understanding that education is also a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4), I got involved outside the classroom because of the profound impact education has on any country’s future and the changes the themes I explored made in my own academic and life trajectory. To do the right thing and indirectly pass on the torch by positively impacting the lives of youth, I realized that inspiration does not only come from the classroom. I can inspire youth to do better than my peers and I have done just by being an educator in the school. Additionally, my awareness of my Blackness and its cultural significance helps me see the untapped potential that the current education system may not bring forth in Black youth. Not wanting that unique light to be snuffed out, I know it is essential to be present in the education system, advocating for young Black girls and boys to see themselves represented in pivotal societal places. Lastly, participating in advocating for better quality education for Black children cannot be done without being an active member of the village raising our Black, racialized, and non-racialized children. By instilling life lessons that help them wisely utilize the knowledge they receive from teachers and the curriculum, they will become pivotal members of their community, moving it forward.

Iyanuoluwa Akinrinola Advocacy for change, Anti-Racism, Black History Month, Black Lives Matter, Building Inclusion, Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Equity, General, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, solidarity

The Importance of Black Student Success in Ontario

Black Student Success programs play a crucial role in Ontario’s education system, providing tailored support to Black students who often face unique challenges. Educators involved with the programs are deeply connected to Black communities and serve as mentors and advocates, offering culturally responsive guidance that is vital for Black students’ academic and personal development.

One key importance of Black Student Success educators is their ability to create a sense of belonging and representation for Black students. In an education system where Black students are underrepresented among educators and administrators, these educators act as role models, demonstrating the possibilities of academic and professional success. This representation is critical for fostering a positive self-identity and encouraging students to aspire toward their goals.

Moreover, these educators offer intensive support that goes beyond academics. They address the holistic needs of Black students, including socio-emotional well-being, cultural affirmation, and resilience building. This comprehensive support system helps students navigate challenges such as microaggressions, racial biases, and other forms of discrimination that can hinder their educational progress.

Black Student Success educators also bridge the gap between schools and Black communities, fostering stronger relationships and better communication. By understanding and incorporating their students’ cultural contexts, these coaches can effectively advocate for necessary resources and support within the school system. This advocacy ensures that Black students receive equitable opportunities to succeed academically.

Black Student Success educators are indispensable in Ontario’s efforts to promote educational equity. Their culturally responsive mentorship and advocacy support individual student success and contribute to a more inclusive and representative education system, benefiting the broader community. This holistic approach ensures that students receive consistent encouragement and resources from all facets of their lives.

Next Steps for Educators to Engage with Students:

Educators should actively collaborate with Black Student Success educators to create inclusive learning environments that celebrate diversity and cultural richness. This collaboration involves integrating culturally responsive teaching practices into everyday classroom activities. Educators can start by diversifying their teaching materials to include perspectives and contributions from Black individuals and communities. They should encourage open discussions about race, identity, and social justice, creating safe spaces where students feel valued and understood.

By actively engaging with students, families, and community stakeholders, educators can contribute to building a more equitable and inclusive educational system where every student has the opportunity to thrive.

The program for Black Students is designed to provide intensive, culturally responsive support to Black students with the goal of improving their well-being and achievement. As intermediate students graduate and move to high school, they may be able to work with Black Graduation Coaches who can continue to work with students to demonstrate the possibilities of academic and professional success to promote Black Excellence.

Check out what these school boards are doing to promote Black Excellence:

YRDSB Black Excellence Program

TDSB Black Student Excellence Program

Greater Essex CYF Program

OCDSB Sankofa Centre

PDSB – ‘We Rise Together’

 

 

Will Gourley Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, Challenging Topics, Equity, General, Global Warming, Health & Safety, Making a Difference Through Education, self reflection

too darn hot

I will never complain about the heat. It is nature’s gift to all of us who have ever shovelled snow, skidded through a stop sign on a snow covered road or slipped on an icy walkway. I have never had to shovel heat nor purchase special footwear to protect my feet from freezing because of it while on duty at school.

 I have never booked a tropical getaway to the Arctic Circle nor plan to in order to feel the warmth of our nearest star either. There is nothing like sitting by a pool in the shade on a hot day and reading. And by reading, I mean napping. The heat is what keeps my coffee and lunch at optimal temperatures. It is the gift that can’t stop giving.

If you’ve managed to read this far, you know what is coming next.

The heat is all well and good in its place and proportion, but the structures that we occupy and serve our students are not collectively constructed by any means close to supporting those on the inside. It’s too darn hot. 

Call it what you will; climate crisis, climate change, global warming, astronomical juxtaposition, weather shift (I made that one up). etc, there is a problem with most of the buildings where K to 8 students are being taught. So when temperatures rise to near historical highs for several days in a row, everyone feels the heat. Except for those who have deemed it acceptable that these learning conditions exist. 

I have yet to walk into a secondary school that wasn’t climate controlled. I have yet to walk into a board office that wasn’t climate controlled. I have yet to walk into a government building that wasn’t climate controlled. Why would I, that would make it hard on the students and the workers? Yet, there seems to be countless elementary schools where classroom temperatures are regularly above a reasonable 22 degrees Celsius. 

So why does it seem acceptable to decision makers to maintain such a scorching status quo?
This recent round of heat has once again revealed the resilience of students and educators (including principals) in the face of a system that seems more apathetic than unreliable. Why does it feel that we are being let down here?

Adapting to the situation again

In times like these, we have all needed to adapt our days to the weather: indoor recesses, less vigorous activities, more water breaks, lights off and blinds closed for the appearance of a cooler room, fan(s) whirring not so silently across seated students clambering for a brief breeze. And then there is managing students who have already begun their summer vacation a touch earlier than scheduled. It’s not like we can even go outside for a nature walk when the humidex is 40 degrees C and there are threats of severe pop up thunder/lightning storms.

Unlike the cold, the heat is a disruptor in our spaces. Sure there are inclement winter weather days, yet never a hardship due to heat and humidex day. Even if we could cram entire student populations into the few climate controlled spaces found in elementary school buildings, those spaces would heat up due to the sheer numbers alone and the problem begins all over again. 

If that wasn’t enough

I have found that the attention span of the average learner decreases as the temperatures increase. Lessons have been shortened. In the past week, I have incorporated more engineering and collaborative work as well as a longer, more in-depth art project. We have shared lessons and reflections on Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples Day. In between more structured lessons, there have been several Genius Hour projects where students are asked to learn about something new and share it. So far we have learned about CPUs, horticulture, glass blowing, hair types, how to fold paper into boxes, and much more. 

We also took time to discuss our growth as a classroom community and what they would like for me to do better for my students next year. Talk about feeling the heat. 

What I came away from this week of elevated temperatures was that there were some struggles happening because of the heat that required more attention. It meant looking after the physical well being of students in order to maintain their mental well being.

And then there is the time when students are not at school. All of this has me thinking that many of our students may not have any respite from the heat once they leave school. How much is that affecting them and their families? This now becomes a broader social issue that goes far beyond the scope of ensuring that students are afforded the climate controlled comfort they need.