Yesterday was a disappointing day for Ontario’s teachers, parents and students. On a day when we reached out to begin good-faith consultations with Ontario’s Ford government, we instead heard you blame teachers and unions for a student walkout at schools across the province, when in reality it was your government’s policies that sparked this action.
Why are young/less experienced teachers losing their jobs when there are veteran teachers that exist who are performing poorly or complacently, making more money, and don’t have to worry about a pink slip? It’s just not fair…
Inferencing is much more than a reading skill; essentially, it is the process of training the brain to think metaphorically rather than literally. Many students have already acquired this skill as it has been modelled at home in the context of both reading materials and experiences, but for many of our students it is something completely foreign to them that needs to be explicitly taught.
As both a teacher and parent I value standardized testing – read on to learn why!
Is group work overrated? What benefits and drawbacks does it have for students and how can teachers make the most of it?
This is a touchy subject, as it involves divorce and child custody issues. These topics rarely bring out the best in people, and quite usually very strong opinions and emotions. Everybody knows somebody who has experienced a messy divorce where children have been used as pawns; it’s not pretty to watch and much worse to… Continue reading Why Educators Must Be Trained to Deal with Families in High Conflict Custody Disputes
Over the past couple weeks, Ontario teachers have been up in arms in arms about the repealing then, re-structuring of the sex ed curriculum. As an observer, I’ve kind of shrugged my shoulders about this because as an English teacher I know that many of us tackle these topics in our classrooms regularly – regardless… Continue reading Social Issues in Ontario will always have a home in English Class!
Did you know that if people take the time to sit and write out their goals that they are 50% more likely to accomplish them? Crazy, right? I have to say that I’m a big proponent of goal setting, and I have two thanks for that: my parents and Olympia Sports Camp. My parents are… Continue reading 5 Practical Ideas for Back to School Goal Setting (for Teachers and Students)
What are you doing to curb summer learning loss with your kids? Read on for some easy ideas to keep their brains active in the dog days of summer!
Take a moment and think a bit about your childhood. What did you learn from your parents, extended family or friends and what did you learn at school? More importantly, how did the two learning environments overlap, developing consistency and clear expectations? I remember my parents (and grandparents) teaching me a wide variety of skills… Continue reading The Decline of ‘Parenting’ and its Impact on Education
