Category: General

Part 1: Winter’s Gifts: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature by Kaitlin Curtice illustrated by Gloria Felix

A citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin Curtice has created a beautiful story explaining the importance of loving the earth at the winter solstice. I have read this book to classes from kindergarten to grade 3, using the story to expose children to Indigenous perspectives and to better understand the solstice and the significance it holds.

Before Reading – Minds On

Have students think about the late sunrises and early sunsets that have been happening. How has this natural change impacted their lives? Have their routines changed?  Review the concept of the winter solstice, helping them understand that the daylight hours decrease until December 21st , then there will be increasingly more daylight each day until we reach summer solstice. I like to demonstrate using students to play the role of sun and earth and show that earth orbits the sun and has a tilt that causes the changes in how much sunlight we receive.

During Reading

During the read aloud I will stop and ask questions about what they have noticed about the change in seasons. We might discuss how our clothing changes to warmer jackets, boots, mittens and hats or we might focus more on animal behaviour and how the animals we see are adapting to the season. The story focuses on winter being a time of rest, do the students agree or disagree? Can they explain their thinking? There is also an opportunity to review the Potawatomi perspective in the story about sun, moon and earth who are described as grandfather, grandmother and mother. 

After Reading

Depending on the age and stage of the class, I will make a t-chart with the words Goodbye and Hello as headings.  Under “Goodbye” we list the activities, weather, clothing, etc, that end in the season of fall/autumn. Similarly, under the heading “Hello” we list what is expected in winter.  With older students, this could be completed independently. Now students can take those ideas and create a Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter poem with artwork to accompany their poem. 

Part 2: Follow Up – Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak

The children in this story greet natural features such as wind, leaves, snow and birds. The children say hello to them and they get a reply explaining what that particular feature is doing in the season of autumn.  It is critical to pay attention to the illustrations in this story because they are telling a story of their own. On each page, the children are walking through different environments: fields, forests, a farm, and a town. The signs of winter begin to show as the book progresses, ending with the children back in the field from the first autumn illustration in the book but now it is a winter scene. 

The watercolour illustrations inspire students to create detailed sketches and paintings showing the change in seasons.  The subject of their art could be the same focus as their Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter poem. There are hints in this book that it is set at the time of the winter solstice and there are references to decorations and gift shopping that leave us wondering what they are celebrating.

Since I am new to using watercolour paints, I use tutorials from Andrea Nelson to help me learn. I have included a recent fall painting as an example.  I believe our students could create something similar.

I hope your students enjoy the chance to write and paint about this season change. 

Brenda

Communication and collaboration with families is a core element in any educator’s pedagogical practice. When teachers share information with families about their child’s successes, and challenges in school, while also being transparent about our programming and pedagogical practices, we build trust with the community and create opportunities for family engagement.

When I started supporting Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) years ago as a grade 7 teacher, transparency always seemed a challenging thing to navigate. Why?

In my own work context, there seemed to be an implicit assumption among educators and families that being an English learner was a stigma – a gap that needed to be closed, a deficit that needed to be corrected. As a middle school teacher, I worried that families would be unaware that their child was an ELL, or that they would be surprised that their child was still identified as one. I feared that talking about ESL programming would make families upset, so when I did bring it up, I tried to minimize its importance as much as possible

Secondly, I wasn’t even sure how to talk about ESL/ELD programming with families. Most of the support I was providing was happening “in the moment”: using a translation tool, changing an assignment or rubric, or providing alternative activities. I didn’t really understand what tier 1 support should look like for ELLs in my classroom, or if what I was doing “counted” as programming for ELLs. What could I possibly share with a parent or guardian without sounding inexperienced or unprofessional?

A third factor contributing to my discomfort about talking about ESL/ELD programming with families was that I didn’t feel equipped to talk about how the programming actually worked, especially to guardians and caregivers that were likely unfamiliar with the Canadian education system and perhaps even learning English themselves. How do I explain STEP? Modifications and accommodations? Interpersonal vs. Academic language? Many of these terms were new to me at the time, and I feared explaining something incorrectly and getting called out for it later.

As a much more experienced educator, I have realized how important it is to be clear and transparent with families about ESL/ELD programming, and what my own responsibility is as an educator to learn how to speak about the topic. When we don’t share information about the programming an MLL is receiving, or give updates on a regular basis, we perpetuate the  “stigma” that is often associated with being an English learner and the erroneous idea that programming for MLLs limits opportunities for students, when in fact it does just the opposite. When we avoid taking the time to share the richness of the programming we provide, we also miss an opportunity to acknowledge the work we do as educators to support students. When we see ESL/ELD programming from a deficit lens, we miss an opportunity to see language learning for what it should be – a challenge and journey that is both rewarding and joyful.

So what can we do to ensure that MLL families understand the ESL/ELD programming their child is receiving in schools? In the next part of this article, we will discuss some strategies and practices we can easily implement to build communication and transparency with MLL families.

My annual learning goals are centred around deepening my understanding of Structured Literacy. You can read more about it here.

Ontario educators already use a wide range of thoughtful, equitable, student-centred practices. Deepening my understanding of the science of learning has been one way I’ve strengthened parts of my teaching, but it exists alongside many other effective approaches. My goal in this series is simply to share and reflect on shifts I have made that have supported my learners in their journey of reading.

Shift # 1 – Explicit Instruction

Explicit instruction is sometimes misunderstood as “teacher-centred,” but in reality, it is profoundly learner-centred. It removes guesswork, makes learning transparent, and ensures every student has the tools they need to succeed. Using a gradual release model—“I do, We do, You do”—offers students modelling, guided practice, and the confidence to work independently.

Explicit instruction isn’t less creative, less fun, or less student-centred. In fact, it is more equitable, more predictable, and more effective for our diverse Ontario classrooms.

This approach aligns seamlessly with Structured Literacy practices such as:

• Phonics instruction 
• Morphology work
• Modelling decoding and encoding strategies
• Teaching comprehension strategies explicitly
• Building academic language intentionally

Since shifting toward more explicit instruction, I’ve observed meaningful changes in student learning and engagement. Some benefits include: 

• Learning feels more accessible: Concepts are broken into clear, manageable steps that students can follow
• Thinking is modelled out loud: Students hear the reasoning process, not just the final answer.
• Guided practice bridges the gap: Students get support before being asked to work independently.
• Language and expectations are clear: Directions, success criteria, and vocabulary are no longer left to interpretation.
• Students are more confident and independent: Predictable routines build trust.
• Classroom management improves: When students understand what to do and how to do it, engagement in learning increases.

It is important to note that explicit instruction is deeply connected to equity. Explicit instruction levels the playing field. It ensures all students receive clear, high-quality, structured teaching. My shift toward explicit instruction continues to evolve, and I know every teacher’s journey looks different. If you’re curious about trying elements of explicit instruction, I hope this reflection offers a helpful starting point. You can also review this ETFO resource for an example what explicit instruction can look like and tips how to get started! It is also available at the ETFO assessment website.

“First-thens” have plagued me all my life and believe me, they are an insidious bunch. These shady characters always show up under the pretence of reason and sensible precaution, and instead end up derailing all my best-laid plans. You might know the kind I’m talking about … they are all the little requirements and conditions we frontload onto our goals, before we actually allow ourselves to accomplish them:

“First I’ll lose a little more weight, then I will be able to buy that nice jacket.”

“First I’ll learn the dance moves, then I’ll be able to go to Zumba class.”

“First I’ll get the house perfect, then I will be able to have my friends over.”

First-thens.

Over the years, such arbitrary preconditions have prevented me from getting to the good stuff more times than I care to admit.  And counterpoint — yes, sometimes a little precaution is important, especially when critical situations and life decisions are at stake. But, if I let them, these subtle little negotiators will just keep showing up, intent on keeping me mired in deferred experiences and inaction.

(Diane. Just go to Zumba now.)

So when I see first-thens pop up in the education world, I always look at them a little askance. And while some are undeniably great (such as first-then visual schedules to help students navigate daily routines, or first-then sentence frames to help students create effective sequential writing) some may be more of the counterproductive type.

And there is one “first-then” in particular that may require some unpacking …

Decades ago, when a student new to English arrived at school, the set course of action was decidedly “first-then” in nature:

“First you learn English in ESL class for a year or two, then you will be able to understand classroom lessons.”  

With this silo-esque model firmly entrenched, and with the best of intentions based on then-current knowledge, the classroom teacher and the ESL teacher would retreat to their separate rooms. With pedagogical drawbridges pulled up, instruction in the classroom carried on as it always had (which was often largely unintelligible to beginner MLLs), and isolated ESL instruction took place down the hall (maybe a few times a week). And in this disconnected way, the MLL would dutifully bounce back and forth between educators.  It was anyone’s guess whether there was any content overlap and thus reinforcement in the two language programs. And most of the student’s time would be spent in the mainstream classroom of course, where they would sit (usually silently) with limited access to the curriculum content delivered in English.

That would have to come later. At some point.

First-then, after all.

Thankfully times have changed. And to be absolutely clear, I am not arguing that extra support in the way of ESL classes is unhelpful – especially in a time of increasing demands on teachers and decreasing funding supports. Rather, I suggest an examination of the assumptions and implications of isolated delivery methods, where English acquisition and learning curriculum are viewed as separate teacher responsibilities. Indeed, during my 20 plus years’ experience in ESL, I have noticed some distinct disadvantages to students if withdrawal programming is the only source of language acquisition support for MLLs – in terms of belonging and inclusion, learning curriculum, and even English development.

One of my all-time favourite quotes related to this issue comes from Pauline Gibbons’ book Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: Teaching English Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom:

“We do not first ‘learn’ a language, and then later ‘use’ it. Second-language learners do not have the time in any case to study English as a ‘subject’ before they use it to learn other things; they must begin to use it as a medium for learning as soon as they enter school, simultaneously developing their second language hand-in-hand with curriculum knowledge,” (Gibbons, p 25).

Gibbons is correct when she suggests we cannot wait for ESL class to “fix” the student before they are able to learn math, science, literary devices, and other rich aspects of the curriculum … especially considering it takes 5-7 years on average to attain fluency in a language. Yet, if learning programs are delivered independent of one another, with no communication between educators, we may miss vital opportunities to teach and reinforce the very vocabulary and language structures that MLLs need in order to learn content and communicate with peers in class.

Take the water cycle, for example. In this unit, students need to learn vocabulary such as cloud, rain, condense, and evaporate in order to understand and be included in lessons (and continue developing their English, for that matter). So why then would we spend time labelling types of fruit or common professions in an ESL workbook, when valuable support time could be spent pre-teaching this subject-specific vocabulary, offering speaking practice with target words and sentences about to be used in class, and delivering reading and writing instruction anchored in this relevant context? And during whole-class lessons, why would we pass over the golden opportunity to highlight and chorally read that same key lesson vocabulary with everyone, and point to a few visuals of those words as we instruct? The dual goal of linguistic and content knowledge acquisition is realized in this dynamic interplay, allowing repeated opportunities to use both meaningfully throughout the unit, with everyone in the class benefitting from review, vocabulary clarification, and multisensory engagement.

Now of course, sometimes other activities and approaches may be more appropriate, based on the needs of the student and professional judgement of the teachers. As we know, there is no one single “correct” way to teach; students and their needs are as unique and various as the teaching strategies that will best support them. I simply point out that isolated programs with no communication between teachers as the default and exclusive ESL support model may not always correlate to optimal learning for MLLs.

And I am happy to say I have seen some more-than-optimal learning occur for students, directly as a result of teacher collaboration and communication. Even if they only have a few seconds in their hectic days, these educators use whatever passing moment they can find to make sure their language goals are aligned with curriculum goals, with both teachers intentionally highlighting, recycling, and reinforcing this common language for students in their respective programs (and sometimes, in awe-inspiring fashion, by team teaching in the same classroom).

At this point, you would be correct to point out the desperately limited (if not altogether absent) release time teachers have to plan with one another.  In the link below, it is my hope that teachers will find at least initial strategies that require little to no planning time, with the hope of one day having the release time needed to properly and fully explore their potential.

A couple of years ago, a team at ETFO put together the infographic poster linked below. This resource offers quick and effective collaborative teaching strategies for both classroom and ESL teachers, that may provide students with increased chances to learn the language they will need every day in the mainstream classroom.

And while such collaborative efforts are essential to expedited English language acquisition and improved access to the curriculum, they are also key to student belonging and well-being. The ability to access and contribute to learning in the mainstream classroom is integral to feeling a sense of efficacy and inclusion – and to being seen that way by other students as well.

So, to classroom and ESL educators who have the privilege of teaching MLLs, witnessing firsthand their insights, talents, and multilingual abilities …

Have fun jumping in together, right now 😊

Collaboration and Co-teaching for MLLs

I’m going to age myself for a minute.  Many years ago when I was a child, we had vinyl records and cassette tapes that we used to listen to music.  There were two sides, the A-side and the B-side. The A-side of a single song usually featured a recording that was the  focus; something you would hear on the radio. The B-side (or “flip-side”) was a secondary recording, something that was not as popular or that didn’t receive as much airplay.  Oddly enough though, some B-sides have been as successful as, or more so than, their A-sides.

In education, I feel like I spend a lot of time on the A-side.  The one that is most visible; lesson planning, assessment, teaching in the classroom.  This side of teaching gets a lot of focus, at least in my working life.  It’s the side that demands most of my attention, can be very challenging, but also can be very rewarding. There are a lot of things to love about the A-side; it’s popular for a reason!

But this year, I’m thinking a little more about the B-side to being a teacher.  It’s been hard not to feel overwhelmed this fall.  There is always so much to do and teachers in their first five years often ask me when it gets easier.  Even at 25 years in education, I still feel this stress when I focus only on the A-side.  The side with all the to-do lists and never ending deadlines.   

But what is the A-side without the B-side?  I’m working this year on thinking about the other side, the part that isn’t always talked about, the side that helps me to be my best self when I’m with the students.  And so, I’m sharing with you, my B-side tracks.  It’s short, it’s non-exhaustive, but it’s also focused on something a little different than all of the practical parts of teaching.  

First track: Balance. I often feel off-balance in education.  I feel myself spending a long time working, planning lessons, units, while also assessing students and attending meetings.  These days, in truth, I’m coming home quite late and I start to wonder if I’ve bit off more than I can chew outside of my working day. In response, I’m trying to look at balance a little differently. 

Perhaps balance isn’t equal time spent on different tasks, but rather how I measure my effort and stress for each.  If I am going to be doing a very stressful task that requires a lot of thinking and learning at school, perhaps I’m going to balance that with something that is very fun and rewarding after school.  For example, spending a day in new professional development might mean for the evening I’m going to plan a movie and snack night with my kids or a walk along the beach with a friend.  If I know I have a long week ahead at work, I’ll spend my Sunday resting and reading a good book.  If I measure work/life balance only with time on task, it will always be off-balance.  I’m learning to recognize that the amount of time isn’t always in my control, but the quality of that time might be.

Second track: Beauty. This is my reminder to slow down; to take a few moments to notice the beauty around me.  That could be making time to watch the sunset and notice how lovely the sky looks. It’s stopping on my way into the school or the ETFO office to appreciate the changing leaves and flowers that might still be blooming.  It’s also just taking a moment to stop and appreciate artwork or music or those delicious snacks someone shared in the staff room. Focussing on these moments always seems to diminish the noise of the A-side tracks and reminds me that there’s always something to appreciate. It brings joy in a different way and it reminds me to take a different perspective when looking around the world.

Third track: Boundaries.  This word is sometimes misunderstood and can be guilt-inflicting!  I used to think that boundaries meant I’m just saying no to people and that they would be hurt, annoyed, or frustrated with me.  As I’ve grown, I’ve realized that boundaries are actually about knowing myself. It’s knowing what I need in order to stay well and to feel happy and be present for my students.  Boundaries aren’t selfish; boundaries are actually part of my self-care. 

For example, on the weekends, I’ve got a 1:00pm boundary.  Whatever I am working on at home, I insist that my 1:00pm boundary is in effect – I sit and read a book or watch tv or take a nap.  At school, I make sure I take an uninterrupted lunch break and, here’s the hard part, I try not to talk about work!  It’s not easy, but I try very hard to have work conversations limited to ten minutes if it’s necessary and try to talk about something social during the rest of lunch. This helps me to step away from work for a moment and it also builds community amongst staff  to share a little bit about ourselves with each other. And it’s a wonderful feeling to work with a strong and connected staff that feels like they can lean on each other.  I’ve noticed that it just makes our A-side tracks (co-planning, co-teaching, professional development) go so much smoother when we know one another outside of the parameters of work talk. 

And so, the B-side tracks.  Often not at the forefront of the day compared to the A-side of teaching, but no less important to educators. While it sometimes gets less airplay, it’s sometimes just as catchy and fun as other versions. The B-side helps me to enjoy the A-side, to give it the airplay it deserves and even have the energy to dance around a little.

Taking an additional qualification is something I have done many times both online and in person. I remember being a new teacher trying to take the ones that would help me land a new role in the school, like ESL/ELD or special education support. Juggling the demands of a course with work is no joke: between the assignments, readings, and discussion posts, AQs can really take up a good chunk of your evenings and weekends.

It had always been a personal goal for me to teach an AQ, though I wasn’t quite sure how to get started or even if I was ready. Serendipitously, my board put out a hiring posting for an AQ teacher pool. When the opportunity came up, I agreed immediately, especially since the course was in an area I feel particularly knowledgeable and passionate about – Teaching English Language Learners.

The experience of teaching an AQ for the first time was definitely one I will never forget. As someone who has primarily taught classes of children, it was a big shift to teach adults who also happened to be my colleagues. In many ways, I felt like I was a new teacher again, with all the anxieties stress that come with trying to plan an engaging lesson, getting all the assessments done in time, and doing my best to seem like I knew what I was doing.

So what is it like to teach an AQ for the first time? Here are a few takeaways I left with.

Teaching an AQ is a lot of Hard Work

When I started, I made the foolish assumption that the work would mainly involve teaching a curriculum that was already set up. But we soon discovered that we needed to adapt, change, and tweak the content to meet the needs of the class, and that some elements of the course were not working as planned. For example, the discussion boards that were set up could be confusing and redundant after in person sessions; the slide decks needed to be re-done to align with the alternating online/in-person format we were using.

Needless to say, it took hours of planning each week, and hours after class to assess and respond to student posts.

It is Daunting to Be Instructing a Course for your Peers

When you teach kids, there are clear and distinct differences between you and your students: being an adult, having a university degree, and being in a position of responsibility with children. Being a course instructor for your peers – fellow educators with a broad range of lived experiences and vast professional knowledge – is a completely different story!

Teaching an AQ is a great reminder that as educators, we facilitate learning and inquiry for students. Once I leaned into my own vulnerabilities as an instructor – embracing the idea that we could all learn a lot from each other – the course really became a joyful experience where everyone could share their strengths and areas of needs as educators.

Community Matters in the Classroom

Throughout the course, one thing we did intentionally from the beginning was build a sense of community with the group. Connecting over food, icebreakers, and discussions can go a long way, and as we all got to know each other the more supportive the class became of each other.  Our course curriculum involved a lot of presentations, which can be a bit of a nerve wracking experience for any person, including teachers. Creating a learning environment where classmates cheered each other on and held space for one another made the learning experience rich and rewarding.

The takeaway? Make time to build community in your classroom, whatever age they are!

It’s Inspiring to see New Teachers get Excited about Teaching

Our course had many new teachers in their first 5 years, which was fascinating for me as a pretty experienced teacher. Some of the students could have been in my own elementary school classroom years back!

I remember being a new teacher and how exciting it was to have a class, and also how exhausting and stressful it was. Spending so much time with teachers who were in that phase of their lives and also seeing the excitement that comes with learning new things was a good reminder of how much I have grown professionally and how great the teaching profession can be.

Co-Teaching is a Wonderful Thing

Being able to co-teach my first AQ with a colleague and friend was a great experience that took a lot of the pressure off planning, facilitating, and assessing a course while working full time during the day. It also really helped to have someone to debrief with after each session, discuss what was going well and what needed to be changed, and cover the class when one of us was running late or had to make an appointment.

Would I teach an Additional Qualifications Course Again?

After this first AQ, I am certain I would do it all over again. The work is rewarding, fun, and it amazes me to have the privilege of having a role in another teacher’s learning. It adds a new and rich chapter to my career as a teacher, and reminded me of the power of re-learning and rediscovering joy in work within an entirely new context.

Of course, hindsight is a gift – I know exactly what mistakes to not make, and what kinds adaptations to the course I can make to help it run smoothly. Unlike teaching kids, educators are not shy about telling you exactly what you can do as an instructor to be more organized!

Take an AQ with ETFO

ETFO offers an extensive selection of additional qualification courses that are facilitated by many of our amazing colleagues. Visit https://etfo-aq.ca/catalogue/ to find a course that aligns with your professional learning goals.

For several years now, I’ve had the privilege of being part of our school’s Eco Committee, working alongside passionate staff and students to make small but meaningful changes for our planet. This year, I had the opportunity to reflect on ‘why’ this work matters so deeply to me. I realized that my connection to nature has been a constant thread throughout my life — even as far back as grade 3, when I was proudly part of our school’s “Green Team.” Back then, we promoted recycling, reminded classmates to turn off the lights, and helped bring life back to our school courtyard. Looking back, it’s clear that this early spark for environmental stewardship has continued to guide me ever since.

Being an Eco Lead this year has been an inspiring journey of meaningful learning, connection, and discovery. Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a professional development session hosted by Peel Eco Schools in partnership with Toronto Region Conservation. The experience was rich with practical strategies and heartfelt perspectives from the Outdoor Education Team and members of the Indigenous Education Team. 

One of the resources shared was the book Treaty Words: As Long as the Rivers Flow by Amiee Craft, a powerful resource to incorporate Indigenous voices and histories into our eco work. It reminds us of the importance of our relationship to the land. A line that truly resonated with me from the book was, “she knew it was a privilege to be there”—on the land, witnessing the transitions of nature and understanding our role within those relationships.

Our afternoon was spent intentionally preparing for our outdoor space. We used materials like milk bags and newspapers to create our very own sit spots. Once we entered our outdoor space and found our quiet sit spots, we took time to reflect on our responsibility to the land. It made me think deeply about how we have a duty to care for it, to leave it as we found it, and to ensure that our presence honours the delicate balance of nature. This sense of responsibility is a living practice rooted in Indigenous teachings about respect, reciprocity, and renewal, a perspective beautifully shared through Treaty Words.

We settled into “sit spots”. Special places where we can pause, observe, and connect deeply with nature. As I sat in my spot, despite the busy sounds of traffic on Hurontario to my left and a construction truck repairing pavement to my right, I was amazed at how slowing down made me feel. I noticed the beauty in the grass, how a spider delicately moved from one leaf to the next using its web, and the countless ladybugs dotting the greenery like little jewels. After a quiet 10 minutes of connecting with the land, we were equipped with macro cameras that allowed us to zoom in on the tiniest details of life around us. The macro cameras took a simple, tiny flower that I might normally overlook and revealed stunning close-ups of vibrant colors, intricate textures, and miniature structures. A hidden world of wonder right at my feet! That tiny flower is now the wallpaper on my phone. A small reminder that even amongst the noise and hurry, there’s a world of hidden wonders waiting right at my feet.

Sit spots are more than just a quiet place outdoors. They are invitations to practice mindfulness and patience, encouraging us to observe the environment with all our senses, seeing, smelling, feeling, and even tasting where safe and appropriate. This kind of connection nurtures respect for living things and fosters a sense of belonging within the natural world.

I encourage every educator and student to find their own sit spot. Whether it’s a patch of grass at school, a local park, or a garden corner at home, taking time to slow down and really notice the smallest creatures and plants can bring unexpected joy and a renewed sense of care for the environment.

Let’s all continue to nurture our connection to nature,  because when we look closely, listen deeply, and feel fully present, we discover that the world around us is alive with stories, beauty, and lessons waiting to be learned.

One of the things that I prioritize at the start of the school year is establishing positive relationships with students. The reason I focus on relationships is because I understand that they can support student engagement, promote their academic performance, and foster a healthy learning and working environment.

To support this work, on the first day of school, I had students complete a mini student profile. Some of the questions I asked on the profile included their preferred name, pronouns, hobbies, interests, allergies, before and after school responsibilities, and any other pertinent information they felt I needed to know. I did this as a way for students to privately share information they may have needed me to immediately know so I could respond appropriately and put the necessary support in place.

Then for the first two weeks of school, I began each day by facilitating community circles where I asked students low-risk questions as a way for me learn about them and for them to learn about each other. I also had students complete a What I Bring questionnaire as a way for them to reflect on some of the knowledge, gifts, experiences, and cultural identities they bring to the classroom while I gained insight to their funds of knowledge so I could leverage those funds to support their learning during the school year. Following the completion of the, What I Bring questionnaire, I had students use the information to create a flag that I posted in the classroom to serve as a reminder to both them and me that they have and bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the classroom even if they may have gaps in language or literacy knowledge or have specific learning needs. At all times, I strove to maintain a calm, positive disposition while being genuinely interested in their questions, responses, and general comments.

Yet despite my best efforts, I felt like I made minimal gains in establishing positive relationships. Part of the reason may be due to my time away from the classroom and direct work with students. In previous posts I’ve shared that for the last four years I was assigned to work in the literacy department at my board’s central office where I worked primarily with educators and other board personnel.

Sensing that I needed support in the form of insights on how to establish and build positive relationships with students, I found and read the article, Improving Students’ Relationships with Teachers to Provide Essential Support for Learning, by Sara Rimm-Kaufman and Lia Sandilos. In the article, the authors share insights to the importance of building positive relationship with students, provide educators with tips on how to do so, and present a list of Do’s and Don’ts that can help and hinder relationships. Some of the tips they share include,

• Interact with students in a responsive and respectful manner
• Offer students help in achieving academic and social objectives
• Know and demonstrate some knowledge about individual students’ backgrounds, interests, emotional strengths and academic levels
• Acknowledge the importance of peers in school by encouraging students to be caring and respectful to each other
• Avoid becoming irritable or aggravated towards students.

Reading these tips, I felt affirmed that some of the ways that I had already been working towards establishing positive relationships were captured on their list. One thing I had yet to deeply consider was the importance of peer relationships and how those relationships can help or hinder student engagement in learning. To help students nurture their peer relationships, when creating the seating plan, I asked them to select one friend that they wanted to sit in their table groups. I did this to ensure students were part of the seating plan decision process and so they had a friend sitting in their group. Of course this came with some minor hiccups, kids talking during instructions and being silly but for the most part students seemed happier and most completed assigned tasks.

From the Do’s and Don’ts list I gained insight to the importance of spending time with each student individually, especially those who may appear difficult or shy, and avoid giving up too quickly on developing positive relationships with students who may appear challenging. Students who appear challenging, benefit from good teacher-student relationships as much or more than their peers who may appear easier to connect with.

Yet I think the most important insight I gained from reading the article and further reflecting on my work with students is that establishing, building, and nurturing positive relationships with and between students takes time and a continuous effort. At some moments, I may want to rush the process so I can focus on teaching them the curriculum but as Zaretta Hammond writes in her book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students, “In culturally responsive teaching, relationships are as important as the curriculum”. As the first month of school ends, I’m pleased to share that I can see clear signs that students are beginning to respond positively to my efforts from their words and actions. Yet I am aware that I need to remain dedicated to the work of continuing to nurture relationships with students to ensure that our relationships continue to blossom.

Looking for new Canadian books for your literacy program? The Ontario Library Association has the Forest of Reading program which lists their top ten books published every year in Canada. Students vote for their favourite book and they make great choices! Each age grouping is named after a tree found in Ontario. This blog features some of my favourite winners from the Blue Spruce program. Many schools run the program and you can find the books in your school library or your local public library.

Are You a Cheeseburger?  By Monica Arnaldo Blue Spruce Winner of 2022

It’s easy to bring Science, Art, Drama, and Writing to life with plenty of laughs as Grub the raccoon finds a seed named  Seed in the trash and they become friends.  Grub hopes that Seed will grow cheeseburgers so he plants and tends Seed with care. The pair become friends as they see the world from different angles above and below ground, giving us a chance to talk about different viewpoints.

 Before reading this book I like to check students’ background knowledge and show photos of raccoons.  We can all share what we already know about these “trash pandas” and find answers to our questions. I also like to have seeds on hand for students to examine. This story gives an opportunity for outdoor experiential education where we can look for seeds on plants growing outside and learn about the various ways seeds travel.

The idea of growing a cheeseburger is also a wonderful jumping off point for creating art. Students could draw cartoon style trees that can grow pizza, fries, chocolate cake or whatever they can imagine. There is a nice music tie-in with the song, “On Top of Spaghetti”, which has a meatball that gets accidentally planted and grows into a meatball tree. 

Give this book a try, your students will be very happy!

Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins

Blue Spruce Winner 2023

Any story about a heroic dog will be a class favourite. Harley is an exceptional service dog who works with an elementary teacher. Harley saves the day in more ways than one by making the classroom a very special place every day and taking care of the teacher and a frightened student when the fire alarm goes off.

Based on a real dog named Stanley and an Ontario elementary teacher, this book gives us the opportunity to understand more about invisible disabilities like PTSD and how helpful service dogs are. Students will benefit from learning the protocols for how to treat a working service dog as they are becoming more and more common and students may be able to share experiences they have had with service dog encounters in public.

A natural extension of this story is to research and write about pets and to collect stories of the benefits that pets have on people’s lives.  On the flip side, students also enjoy sharing ideas about animals that would not make good pets. Once their imaginations are engaged it’s time to have them demonstrate their thinking by creating an ideal pet. They can write, draw, build or dramatize their ideas. This kind of open-ended task gives students a chance to express themselves in their preferred format and they can have the freedom to explain what makes their ideal pet in writing or by sharing orally with the class.

Happy Reading!

Brenda