agency

January 6, 2025 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

November 13, 2024November 16, 2024 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

November 2, 2024November 4, 2024 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

November 17, 2023 Iyanuoluwa Akinrinola Advocacy for change, agency, General, Mindfulness, social emotional learning, teacher efficacy, Teacher Wellness, Teacher Working Conditions, Teaching as a public profession, Wellbeing, wellness, wellness

Avoiding Burnout: A Vital Pursuit for Educators

Burnout is a pervasive problem affecting educators worldwide, leading to decreased job satisfaction, compromised well-being, and diminished classroom effectiveness. Addressing this issue is paramount to maintaining a high-quality education system. The demands of teaching can be overwhelming, leading to physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion. To maintain a high standard of education and foster a healthy learning environment, educators need to prioritize their well-being and avoid burnout.

The first step in avoiding burnout is recognizing its signs and symptoms. Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Educators may feel emotionally drained, detached from their students, and experiencing a diminished sense of personal competence. Identifying these signs early on can help educators take proactive steps to prevent burnout. Understanding the root causes of burnout is essential for developing effective prevention strategies.

One of the primary causes of burnout is an imbalance between work and personal life. Educators often dedicate long hours to lesson planning, grading, and extracurricular activities, leaving little time for themselves and their families. Educators must be intentional about self-care and establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to address this issue. Setting aside time for relaxation, hobbies, and spending quality time with loved ones can help alleviate the stress associated with teaching.

Educators should not hesitate to seek professional support when experiencing burnout symptoms. This may involve consulting with a counsellor or therapist specializing in educator well-being, and sharing challenges and concerns with a trusted mentor and/or professional can provide educators with valuable insights, coping strategies, and emotional support to navigate the demands of their profession effectively.

Mindfulness and stress reduction techniques can be valuable tools for preventing burnout. Practices such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, movement activities, nature explorations or yoga can help educators manage stress and stay grounded in the present moment. Integrating these techniques into daily routines can improve emotional resilience and well-being.

Creating/immersing in a supportive community within the school environment can also contribute to educator well-being. Participating in professional development opportunities, such as workshops, conferences, and ETFO local union events (socials) and peer support groups, can provide a network of like-minded individuals who understand the profession’s challenges.

Burnout is a significant concern in education, as it affects educators’ lives and the quality of education provided to students. Prioritizing your well-being and implementing strategies that enable work-life balance, will ensure that you have a fulfilling and sustainable career as an educator while providing the best possible learning experience for your students. Ultimately, the prevention of burnout is not only essential for us as individual educators but also for the betterment of the entire education system.

ETFO members who feel that they are experiencing mental health challenges should discuss their concerns with their family doctor. Mental health support may be available to ETFO members through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), accessed via their district school board.
Additional support may be found through Starling Minds, which offers a variety of digital programs free of charge for ETFO members. Read this PDF about Starling Minds and learn how to register.

October 27, 2021 Gillian Wassmansdorf Advocacy for change, agency, Anti-Racism, Building Inclusion, Equity, General, Inclusion, Inspiring Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Local Involvment, Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice

Positioning students as co-conspirators (and the fall of WE)

Since I began my teaching career six years ago, my practices of student engagement in activism and advocacy have evolved and shifted based on the community of learners I am working with. At the same time, my attitude towards this work has shifted consistently and drastically. The most notable change? My feelings toward social enterprises whose work in schools may appear charitable, but are steeped in controversy and insincerity.

In my first year of teaching, a student in my Grade Three class gave me a “Rafiki Bracelet” sold to them by the WE Charity. It was later that school year that I was sitting in a school-wide assembly, watching a promotional video for the same organization in which a group of women in Kenya were profiled as they beaded the bracelets themselves. Students were being sold the notion that they themselves would be contributing to the livelihood of these women and their communities by simply purchasing a bracelet. Colleagues and I asked ourselves: Why can’t we see the long-term impacts of these temporary solutions to a deeply systemic problem?

Many who criticize WE’s business model, through which students became a vehicle for sales and profit, point out how students were roped into the fantasy of “saving” impoverished communities with their efforts. What started with a Rafiki bracelet not only became thousands of dollars in spending on WE’s “voluntourism” programs, but also the excitement of post-graduation employment at WE without realizing that the organization overworked and underpaid its employees to a severe extreme.

As educators we can ask why students would have fallen victim to a model like WE’s, but what we should do is critically examine the ways that celebrity, fame, and ego were at the centre of WE’s initiatives, particularly WE Day, in order to convince students to join their cause. WE Day harnessed an unbelievable amount of power in numbers, but it fostered an almost cult-like manipulation and exploitation of our students who would have needed a trusted adult to help them understand more appropriate avenues for activism and advocacy work in school.

It’s been one year since WE announced it would be ceasing its Canadian programs after having been embroiled in scandal. My hope is that we use this turn of events to deepen our consciousness around what it means to be an activist in school and work hard to de-centre the ego from the work our students do to help others. Instead of portraying the student as the saviour, how might we portray the student as a co-conspirator? How might we foster a sense of humility in classroom activism? In what ways does our teaching perpetuate narratives in which non-western countries are “poor” instead of examining the systems of power that cause disparity?

These questions simply scratch the surface of the impact that WE’s programs, values, and corruption have had in our schools and on our students, here in Canada and across the world. As we reflect, we must also continue to name and unpack these problems in order to push past the fault in our practice and move forward in a good way.

For an in-depth look into the WE scandal, listen to “The White Saviors” series by Canadaland: https://www.canadaland.com/shows/the-white-saviors/

November 30, 2020November 30, 2020 Will Gourley agency, Challenging Topics, Equity, General, Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice, Student wellbeing, Wellbeing

About those indoor shoes

Winter’s coming and as I share this on the eve of December and our possible first snow day of the 20-21 school year, the timing is intentional.

Recently, I had a moment of clarity while greeting students at the door of my classroom. It started out simply enough as they returned after a snowy midday recess. Amid our usual pleasantries it happened – a simple and often overlooked aspect of privilege kicked me in the thoughts as I welcomed students back inside. Although, there was nothing out of the ordinary on this particular day, all I could think about, in that moment, was indoor shoes.

You know, that 2nd pair of shoes students are expected to bring from home, that stay at school, so they can change in and out of for recess and indoor activities. The ones that every student is told they are supposed to have. The same shoes that can be found classrooms away from their owners’ personal effects after being dribbled down the hallways soccer style by budding Christine Sinclairs and Alphonso Davies’. Those indoor shoes.

Although an extra pair of shoes might be a small issue for many of us, I wonder whether asking students to have a dedicated pair of shoes to change into for inside school exagerates the socio-economic divisions that are obvious in many of our communities. After nearly 2000 days in the classroom, I am only seeing the ability to bring a second pair of shoes as an indicator of privilege, and that got me thinking about equity.

So, I’ll ask. Do you think that requiring/expecting students to have a 2nd pair of indoor shoes is unfair to those who are unable? Have schools become too demanding to expect this considering that many families are living pay check to paycheck? How are educators working to support their learners without isolating or alienating them by their supportive actions? Don’t even get me started about winter boots.

Clearly, there is a fine line to tread and I am wondering what’s changed, what needs to change in the way we were are doing things, and what else have I/you/we been missing?

What’s changed?

Nothing and it is not going to either as long as our socio-political and economic structures remain the same, we will always have students coming to school from places of unearned disadvantages being asked to act like they do not.

When we know that students are in need, how do we as a school community genuinely support them equitably? Is there a way that we can help while being discrete in our actions? One way might be by intentionally looking the other way while still making a note of things like a single pair of shoes, no boots, or a lack of weather protective garments rather than confronting their lack of them outright. How do we provide help without awkward and uncomfortable moments for a child?

What needs to change?

There will always be students with needs. Even though we might have enough, and it looks like they have enough. It is easy to be fooled into inaction by the belief that their enough is actually enough. When students are sent to school with a lunch to eat at school, it’s not obvious at first look whether it is the only meal they are having each day. It starts at relationships.

Knowing the learner is the key here. Without it, we risk allowing students to fall through the cracks. With recent restrictions to work due to the pandemic, it is becoming clearer that families are living in more precarious circumstances. That fancy car that drops students off at the kiss and ride each morning may about to be repossessed. The top dollar running shoes and brand name everything to wear seems incongruous to the jam sandwich or mac and cheese everyday that those same students are bringing for lunch. I am always hopeful that the child really likes the same lunch everyday, but am also watchful whether it is an indicator that something else is going on outside of school.

What else have I/you/we been missing?

Even though I have used indoor shoes as the soul of this post, they are not the sole indicators of unidentified needs or inequities. At-risk students are everywhere in our hallways. I am trying to pay attention to their actions, words, and body language. I never want to look back on this time and think that our students slipped through the cracks without our support. Conversations with other colleagues also help to fill in the blanks if something doesn’t seem right. It has become second nature to ask a student how their day is going. It is also important to include all of the community resources available to schools too.

If we pay attention to the little signs, we have an excellent chance to close some of the gaps for our students. It might be as simple as connecting families with access to community supports they may not have known about. This may be a simple as ensuring that there is English language assistance for them when it comes to access. For others, it might mean ensuring there is something extra to eat available for any who are experiencing food security issues. For others it might mean an invitation to help out in class during a particularly cold day at recess.

Whatever the circumstances, we can walk alongside students as they learn to fill the shoes that are waiting for them in the future.

Thanks to Tim Bradford and Nicolette Bryan @ACPS for their wisdom and candour while discussing this topic.

Holiday Break Assumptions

December is stressful for so many reasons. Seasonal concerts and plays, crafts and the general hustle and bustle around this time of year. While teachers attempt to make things fun and engaging for the last few weeks before the holiday, there are a few things to consider about assumptions that as educators we might make about our students.

Not every child is looking forward to the holidays.

As working adults we look forward to the break from our daily occupations at this time of year. For us it means a chance to regroup and reconnect. However, for some students it may mean a lack of routine and structure which can provoke anxiety. The reality is that some students may find school the safest place in their lives. The two weeks off of school at the end of the December will inevitably happen for everyone however, not every kid is looking forward to it. So it may be best not to focus on the “Countdown to Break.”

Children living in poverty.

For those children living in families who celebrate the season with any kind of gift giving, this can be a time of stress and anxiety for parents and invariably children. According to parenting expert Alyson Schafer, “Parents of low-income families will often put themselves last in order to shield their kids from poverty and the parents’ health and well-being suffers for it.” Some parents may even skip meals or prescription medication in order to have enough money to buy gifts. Whether the children are aware of their family’s financial situation or not, they will witness wealthier classmates getting more at this time of year and it can be difficult for those children. While this is the time of year that many schools engage in a food drive, teachers need to remember that some students may not be able to donate and in fact, there may be students in your class or school whose family accesses the food bank. It doesn’t mean that would need to stop these charitable acts. As educators we just need to be aware of the assumptions that we make about our students when we engage in the activities.

Those “fun” activities aren’t always “fun” for everyone.

This time of year gets busy in a school. There are often more announcements, events and things for sale or collection. Students who already struggle in school find this time of year difficult because of the multitude of interruptions to regular routines. When possible, keep things as simple as possible for your students. I have always found that keeping as much routine as possible in my classroom at this time of year provided much needed comfort and predictability.

September 30, 2018 Arianna Lambert agency, Challenging Topics, Equity, Gender Equity, Health & Safety, LGBTQ2S, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Judgement, Social Justice

Drawing The Line

Each year, in Canada, approx Screenshot 2018-09-30 at 9.18.11 PM imately 460,000 women are sexually assaulted, although only a fraction of them report the assault to the police (1). In a day and age where this statistic holds true, it’s hard to imagine that our government is wanting to go back to a time where consent and gender identity aren’t being discussed in classrooms as a part of the Health Curriculum. Simply ignoring the very real issues that our students face in 2018 doesn’t make them go away, nor does it help to develop a society that is action-based and ready to implement change.

Earlier this year I was really excited to hear about ETFO’s and White Ribbon’s resource – Drawing The Line. Now I might be slightly biased as my brother is a contributing author but I was thrilled to see a resource that not only provided data-driven information for educators but also included a comprehensive guide for age-appropriate lessons for students in grades 1 to 8. I love that the guide addresses bystanders and offers students ways in which to respond to to sexual violence. Not only do the lessons connect to the Health and Physical Education Curriculum but expectations also in Language and the Arts are included in many of the lessons. This guide is truly a proactive approach to teaching students about healthy relationships and is one that every educator should read and implement in their classrooms. I know that in the past, ETFO was offering sessions on this resource and I hope that they continue.

With hotlines or tiplines being made available, it’s sad to say that we are in such a time where educators are somewhat in fear of teaching what we know to be essential for our students’ safety and healthy development. We need to be having these conversations because unless we do, nothing will change and perpetrators will feel empowered to continue. As you may already know, at the beginning of September, ETFO filed a legal injunction to pause the rollback of the 2015 Health curriculum. The union believes the government’s directive creates unsafe and unhealthy learning and working environments. In the meantime, how are you working to unpack these issues with students? They’re in the news and on the same social media platforms that students are interacting with. How will the work we do today impact the statistics in the future? In the next year, 5 or 10? If you haven’t already, please check out this resource as well as the other resources that ETFO has to offer.

1. Holly, Johnson, “Limits of a Criminal Justice Response” (University of Ottawa, 2012), https://books.openedition.org/uop/592?lang=en

June 3, 2018April 8, 2019 Deb Weston Advocacy for change, Advocacy for public education, agency, Building Inclusion, Making a Difference Through Education, Why unions matter

Why Ontario Teachers Need to be Political

According to The Washington Post’s Valarie Strauss “Teachers are often expected to remain politically neutral in class, not letting their students know which candidate they support or where they stand on controversial issues” (Strauss, 2016).

Parents may anticipate that teachers could “indoctrinate” students by expressing their own views in classrooms (Strauss, 2016) and as a result, so many teachers are tentative to discuss their political views.

Given that “teachers teach who they are” (Susan Drake, n.d.), it’s hard for teachers to be neutral in their passions for education and especially for the inclusion and equity of students.

I state that the act of teaching is a political act as classrooms hold future citizens and what teachers say and do matters.

Teachers teach children to become creative, collaborative communicators, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and global citizens. Teachers help their students become good citizens or as Dewey stated the “organization of the school, as it affects the mind of both teacher and pupil, [is a] growth and extension of the democratic principle in life beyond school doors” (Dewey, 1903).

The act of advocating for democracy and human rights in schools is a political action – so should teachers be political? Former state and national U.S. Teachers of the Year wrote in an open letter “there are times when a moral imperative outweighs traditional social norms. There are times when silence is the voice of complicity” (cited in Strauss, 2016).

As teachers, we regularly espouse ideas of supporting human rights, through equity and inclusion. In the act of teaching, we are the political messengers of these ideas. Teachers are role models for students as we set the example through what we say and do. Our students watch our every move in our words and our actions. Teachers’ words and actions matter.

In Ontario politics, teachers’ voices matter and our representation and advocacy through our unions matter. Through the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, teachers represent almost 200,000 voices in Ontario. Teachers’ votes matter!

Results of Ontario political outcomes directly impact education funding for schools, staff, and students. In 1994, the election of Mike Harris cut billions of dollars from education (Martin, 2009). By the time I became a teacher in 2000, classrooms were void of resources – teachers ended up filling this gap directly with money out of their pockets. Teacher salaries are also directly regulated by provincial governments. Politics impacts teachers’ net income.

Teachers have built their advocacy for public education through their boards of education and their agency through their unions.

Should teachers talk about which political party they will vote for on this 2018 Provincial Election Day? Probably not, but teachers can just be who they are … advocates for public education, advocates for human rights, and advocates for the inclusion and equity of all students.

Above all, teachers can be advocates for democracy. The most impactful act a citizen can do to support democracy is to vote.

Teach who you are, be who you are. Vote.

Yours Collaboratively

Deb Weston

References

Dewey, J., (1903). Democracy in education. The elementary school teacher, 4(4), 193-204.

Drake, S., (n.d.) Professor (PhD), Department of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in Education, Brock University, https://brocku.ca/education/faculty-and-staff/dr-susan-drake/

Martin, R., (October 20, 2009). What happened to Canada’s education advantage? The Toronto Star, Downloaded from https://www.thestar.com/opinion/2009/10/20/what_happened_to_canadas_education_advantage.html

Strauss, V., (October 14, 2016). Teachers are expected to remain politically neutral. These Teachers of the Year say they can’t., The Washington Post, Downloaded from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/10/14/teachers-are-expected-to-remain-politically-neutral-these-teachers-of-the-year-say-they-cant/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4ab93d6a23ed

March 11, 2018January 1, 2020 Deb Weston Advocacy for change, agency, Equal Pay in Unions, Gender Equity, Gender stereotypes, Social Justice, Why unions matter, Women at Work

Gender Equity in 2018

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms outlines what gender equity should look like … but do women really have gender equity in 2018?

In education and workplace participation, gender equity has made some strides.

in 2015, women are almost as likely to have a high school (82.5% women vs. 89.3% men) or university degree (83.1% women vs. 89.9% men)
in 2015, 77.5% of women were employed compared to 85.3% of men, up from 21.6% in 1950 and 65.2% in 1983
in 2015, women are more likely to be away from work (30.0% women vs. 23.9% men) and more likely to be away for a full week of work (38.4% women vs. 24.8% men)
in 2015, women are more likely to work part-time (18.9% women vs. 5.5% men)
in 2015, women are more likely to do volunteer work (67.2% women vs. 53.0% men)
In 1976 – men had higher levels of employment based on the marital status
- 1976 men – 78.0 % employed single/never married, 92.7% employed married/common-law, and 82.3% employed separated/divorced/widowed
In 2015 – women employment rates of women no longer differ based on marital status
- 1976 women – 79.4% employed single/never married, 44.6% employed married/common-law, and 59.2% employed separated/divorced/widowed

Nevertheless, challenges remain:

Too few women are advancing into leadership roles.

Women make up just 21.6% of Financial Post 500* board member (2016)

Women are under-represented in politics in 2015.

26% of those elected to the 42^ndParliament are women
women made up 28% of municipal councillors and only 18% of mayors

Women continue to be responsible for the majority of care giving and household unpaid work.

women vs. men still spend (25.7 hrs/week) more time caring for their children (in 2010 women 50.1 vs. 24.4 hours/week on unpaid child care)
women vs. men are twice as likely to spend more than 10 hours per week unpaid work caring for seniors (49% women vs. 25% men)
women vs. men spend 5.5 hours more on housework (13.8 hrs women vs. 8.3 hrs men per week)

Women in the workforce tend to earn less than men.

women earn $0.876 for every dollar men earn, largely as a result of inequity between women and men within occupations (2015)

Women continue to experience high rates of gender-based violence.

Women have a 20% higher risk of violent victimization than men (2015)
Women account for 87% of victims of sexual offences and 76% of victims of criminal harassment (2015)

Some groups are at particular risk for gender-based violence.

10% of aboriginal women were about three times as likely to report being a victim of spousal violence as 3% of non-Aboriginal women (2015)

How does this impact ETFO members?

As 82% of elementary teachers identify as women, women’s issues directly impact elementary teachers.

With too few women (21.6%) in leadership roles, women’s voices are not heard.
With under-representation of women in politics, women’s needs and equality are not addressed.
With more women spending their time, away from work, on unpaid work (caring for children and seniors, housework, volunteer work) , this unpaid work is not valued.
With women taking more time off work than men, this means women pay for higher sick leaves and long term leaves (on a personal note, when my children were young, I used 15 days of vacation days, before teaching, to take care of sick children and had no vacation that year). Again, women’s time at work is not valued as much as men’s time at work – if it was, more men would be taking time off to deal with family responsibilities.

Further, our ETFO colleagues are 20% more likely to be victims of violence than men and 87% of victims of sexual violence. Our aboriginal ETFO colleagues are 3 times more likely to be victims of spousal violence.

Fortunately, female and male ETFO members are paid equitably based on experience and qualifications.

How do we change this?

Advocate for women leaders and leadership
Advocate for men to take on more caregiving and household responsibilities
Advocate for better, more inexpensive and supplemented childcare
Start small by changing attitudes and behaviours of women’s paid and unpaid work
Challenge gender stereotypes and subtle sexism encountered every day
Challenge sexism and discrimination that allow gender inequality to exist
Go for leadership roles and run for office

How can you change this on a personal level?

Expect men to take as much responsibility as women to care for children and seniors
Expect men to take parental leave so women to go back to work
Expect men to take as much responsibility as women for household chores
Hire house cleaners to clean your house, even if they clean part of the house
Advocate for better, more affordable/supplemented childcare, where the childcare workers are fairly paid

In Canada, gender equity is exists but it’s not completely equal. Let’s hope women can make similar strides in improving stats in leadership, unpaid work, and gender violence that have happened in education and employment. Let’s hope in the next 10 years, the stats noted above will look more equal, more equitable, and less biased towards women.

Happy International Womens’ Day 2018

Collaboratively Yours,

Deb Weston

Interesting Resources:

http://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/timeline/womenunite/en/index.html#/1840

http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/multimedia/2018/2/infographic-rural-women

http://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/infographic/changingworldofwork/en/index.html

http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/

https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/International-Womens-Day/602161

https://www.teachstarter.com/blog/free-international-womens-day-resources-activities/

https://www.internationalwomensday.com/School-Resources

http://www.caaws.ca/gender-equity-101/what-is-gender-equity/