Talking to Children about their bodies, safety, and personal boundaries can be a challenge to even the most seasoned educator. A turtle offers a wonderful concrete example of self-care and safety planning by nature; it has that beautiful shell.
In the summer of 2012, Dana Campbell, a grade 2/3 teacher at Churchill Alternative School in Ottawa, heard a song that resonated so much for her that she called a fellow teacher so that she could play it for her.
You knew this day might eventually come. SMART Boards have infiltrated classrooms across the province. They used to be as rare as the reclusive puma. But now they are as common as the raccoon. And frankly, you might be happier to see a wild racoon in your classroom.
While the Internet is now the number one information source for both children and adults, research is showing that online reading differs significantly from print-based reading. In fact, learning how to obtain sound, relevant information from online sources requires specific kinds of practice and experience, and there is little evidence that schools are currently providing this experience.
ETFO members have spent the last year standing up for the right to engage in free collective bargaining. In the process, we experienced some rude awakenings: a Liberal government that betrayed a decade-long relationship with education professionals and a growing bias against unions. The broader context of this experience helps us to both better understand the anti-union sentiment and fight against it.
Did you know that 148,000 school-age children live with chronic hunger in Ontario and 5,900 children in northern Ontario use food banks?
Teachers are critical in socializing children and shaping their relationships through moment-to-moment interactions with their students.
The last year has been a tumultuous one for education Politics in Ontario and one that has seen democratic rights and principles die on the altar of political expediency.
I recently completed my sixth year of teaching in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), working with students from grades 6 to 8.