Federation Boundaries: Oct 23 ETFO OECTA, or OSSTF Presentation OTF We the Teachers of Ontario Oct 3 U. of T.’s Sexual Violence Education and Prevention Oct 5 Training MT Practicum Sexual Violence and Harassment Oct 4 Policy Kirwan Institute Implicit Bias Modules Oct 4
MT Practicum Equity Policy Oct 4
Board: TDSB Briefly note 2 key School: Ryerson Community learnings: -google classroom allows the teacher to make assignments, announcements, and TDSB Training for Online Platform post/store classroom materials. -It is also a space for students to interact. Oct 4 Fire Evacuation and Lock Down Drills: -Teachers/schools should review evacuation plan with school workers/staff, students, so that everyone knows what to TDSB COVID-19 Training do when a situation of fire evacuation arises and so they know their responsibilities. Mental Health: -Share and ask reflective questions about experiences with Covid- 19, fears about returning to school, self- care that is followed, what you look forward to most? Oct4 Face Masks: -TDSB staff may wear clear face masks when working with people who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities, and people whose second language Return-to-School Plan and they need to see a person’s whole face. -Masks that are not approved are such that allow exhalation openings that make the mask breathable as they do not protect from COVID-19 infections and spreading. Oct 5 I learned about Gender- based Violence in Schools: - “According to the Province’s Safe Schools Action Team, it needs to be seen in the context of bullying” (p.5). - “While female Sexual Violence and Harassment Policy students are disproportionately affected by gender- based violence, research has shown that males more often than females receive and make homophobic comments. Students are not the only victims of gender-based violence in schools. Significant numbers of teachers and other staff complain that they have been sexually harassed by students and other staff members” (p.5). Oct 5 The Teachable Project: -The hub offers a diverse range of supports and lesson plans to include accessibility related issues in everyday learning. Accessibility Policy -There are universal symbols of accessibility for wheelchair, braille symbol, accessible print, assistive listening systems, and sign langue interpretation. Oct 5 - The Board continues to follow the legal requirement that religious exercises and indoctrination shall not occur in its schools. However, there are requests for religious accommodation that can be accommodated. Equity Policy For example, students are not required to attend school on a religious holy day. They are also accommodated with respect to religious dress requirements. In all cases, requests are considered in light of legal and safety requirements” -One of the multi-year strategic plan goals is to “create a culture for student and staff well- being”. Oct 6 -If a researcher has contacts with a particular school and wishes to include that school for their study in conducting research, then the reason must be Research Guidelines / Policy included in the proposal. -Applications are accepted from master’s thesis candidates for conducting research in TDSB schools, staff, students and parents. Oct 6 -Effective homework assignments are curriculum based and meet the developmental and individual needs of the student through differentiation and Homework Policy modification. -Homework assignments should have differentiated instruction to include the needs of the child when appropriate. Oct 6 -Regarding the case of Valley Park Middle School, “There have been concerns expressed that the Religious Accommodations practice of Islam separates individuals by gender. This division of males and females during prayer is part of the Islamic faith. The prayer is not conducted under Board auspices, and we are not in a position to dictate how religious exercises, such as prayer, are conducted by any religion. Students who participate in the prayer services do so voluntarily and with parental permission” - “The Toronto District School Board is public school board that is open to all pupils, regardless of religion, culture, race or ethnicity. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects our fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of conscience, religion, thought and belief. The Ontario Human Rights Code protects an individual’s freedom from discrimination based on religion”. EQAO Results for the TDSB and for Ryerson PS Oct 6 -EQAO results (2014) Grade 3: 26 students – reading 45.0%, writing - 69.0%, math-56.0% Grade 6: 22 students – reading-60.0%, writing- 71.0%, math-62.0%. LOI Index Oct 7 “The LOI ranks each school based on measures of external challenges affecting student success” -One of the components of the LOI is adults with low education which looks at the percentage of adults (25-64 of age) in a student’s neighborhood without a high school diploma. Towards Race Equity in Education: The Schooling of Oct 7 “In 1985, Black Students in the Great Toronto Area (read this representatives of the report and/or search for data focused on another Organization of Parents marginalized or racialized group.) of Black Children met with the associate director of education and identified a number of concerns, including: • The high drop-out rate; • Low self-esteem Over- representation of Black students in non- academic schools; • Low expectations; • Culturally biased IQ testing; • Lack of Black teachers; • Lack of Black studies and Black history within the curriculum; • Ignorance of teachers about Black culture and the history of Blacks in Canada; and • The assumption that Black people are not part of the fabric of Canadian society” (Toronto Board of Education, 1988, p. 6). - “It was observed that despite having the latitude to exercise discretion, disciplinary practices of teachers and school administrators resulted in the differential treatment of Black students in suspensions, expulsions, having the police called, and even being threatened with going to jail”. Ryerson School Website Oct 8 -Eco-school means less use of paper. Permission forms, newsletters, notices and information is sent electronically and posted on website. -Runs a daily Nutrition Program that includes healthy snacks (fruit, vegetable, milk, pita, bagels) and lunch each day. Demographic Information on Ryerson’s Municipal Oct 8 Ryerson Community Area (Ward 10) School demographics: -Total language data available: 350 languages -Primary language other than English are 198 languages Walking Tour of the Ryerson Community School On the day -Business start-up neighbourhood and oct 8 containers to help new again commers with starting a business and moving up. -Container of Sewing Hub- people can come and learn to sew their own clothes but have to dedicate time to doing community repair (volunteer for community) -Gardening-good place for community members to meet. TC choice – find one more source of interesting Oct 8 -you are not data. experiencing https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/the- mindfulness if you are objective-of-education-is-learning-not-teaching/ hiking but your mind is elsewhere. The https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/summer- elsewhere is described 2019/when-schools-cause-trauma as mindfulness. This is https://fosteringmindfulness.com/ when our bodies are in one place but our bodies are elsewhere. -the practice of mindfulness helps with self-regulation and emotions, attention and behavior.