everyday teachers. extraordinary impact

Everyday Teachers. Extraordinary Impact.

1

Ontario’s education system is getting top marksGood things are happening in education. Ontario is now ranked fifth in the world

for quality of education, and we are in the process of making the transition from

“great” to “excellent.” These are results that we can all be proud of.

Teachers in Ontario’s English Catholic schools are striving for excellence, and to make

our schools first in the world for the quality of education that our students receive.

Many factors contributed to the progress that we have seen to date in education —

increased funding, progressive government policies and increased respect for teachers

were key among them. The Ontario government should stay on its proven course, while

strengthening its focus on enhancing the classroom experience and student-teacher

interaction. Here are five areas of focus for continued growth in education.

1. Professional and Qualified TeachersTeacher effectiveness is the single most important factor in student learning.

Teachers perform best when they are respected, and given autonomy to direct learning

in their classrooms as well as their own professional development.

Research has shown that leading educational systems focus on creating an environment

that will encourage creativity and innovation among educators. Critical to this goal

is providing for self-directed professional development opportunities for teachers.

Increased respect for the professionalism of teachers is integral to continued

education progress. Ontario’s teachers are well educated, certified and regulated by the

Ontario College of Teachers, and recognized around the world for their high calibre.

Teachers are most effective when they are given the resources and the freedom

they need to do the work they do best.

Recognizing the importance of teacher judgement and continuing to provide self-directed professional development opportunities is essential.

In the final frontier of school improvementthat is the journey from great to excellent,systems focus on creating an environmentthat will unleash the creativity andinnovation of its educators and otherstakeholder groups. (McKinsey Report)

3

2. Meeting Individual NeedsSmaller class sizes improve student achievement and enable teachers to spend more

time helping their students reach their full potential. Smaller class sizes — especially

in the primary grades — are critical to student performance. It’s the best way for teachers

to address all of the needs of their students. Research has shown that an important

determinant of student performance is a teacher’s ability to address their students’ social,

psychological and academic needs — something that is difficult to do with larger classes.

Smaller class sizes in Ontario have resulted in better learning environments, opportunities

for meaningful assessment and evaluation, and more time for professional dialogue and

parent communication.

Ontario has taken steps to address equity issues in the classroom and to customize

programs to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population.

Ontario is cited in numerous international studies for the great strides that have

been made to close the gap between the highest- and lowest-achieving students.

These initiatives have helped to move Ontario’s education system forward, while

making sure that no child is lost in the crowd.

Targeting resources is the best way to serve the needs of students who require special

attention. There is a need to improve the current funding model in Ontario so that

it adequately addresses the diverse needs of students, and provides staff with the

necessary materials and supports to meet those needs. An adequate funding formula

will help to create a safe classroom environment characterized by manageable class

sizes and teachers who have the expertise to address students’ needs.

Maintaining programming and targeting investments, with a goal of meeting theindividual needs of Ontario’s diverse student population, is essential if Ontario is to continue to close the gap between its top- and bottom-performing students.

Everyday Teachers | Extraordinary Impact

Everyone has a story about a memorable teacher: someone who inspired andmotivated him or her to achieve more than they knew they could, who listened when they needed someone to talk to, or who made learning fun. Our schools are full of these everyday teachers who have an extraordinary impact on students. A teacher can make a great difference in a student’s life — and that is evidenced each day, through every lesson, conversation, and interaction.

5

3. Safe School EnvironmentCreating physically and emotionally safe schools is a necessary precondition to ensuring

a positive learning environment for students.

Ensuring that school facilities are properly maintained and conform to health and safety

requirements not only makes for safe workplaces for teachers and employees, but also

safe classrooms where students can focus on learning.

More complex is ensuring that schools are emotionally and psychologically safe places by

addressing bullying in a coherent and effective way. Government must continue investing

in bullying prevention training and resources for teachers, students, and parents.

This includes providing support to equity and bullying prevention clubs in Ontario’s

schools for all marginalized groups.

Safe schools respect the emotional, physical, mental health and psychological well-being of students and teachers and are essential to the continued improvement of Ontario’s education system.

“The quality of education depends first and foremost on the quality of teachers.Teachers must be well trained, receivedecent remuneration, and be valued intheir societies.” (Susan Hopgood, President, Education International)

Ms. Y | Thinking globally and acting locally every dayMs.Y lives what she teaches. Not only does she speak to her students aboutcompassion, social justice, empathy and responsibility, she exemplifies these values through her extensive community work in underdevelopedcountries. She believes in taking care of the environment and helping those in need, and is actively involved in the school’s Fair Trade Club, Youth AgainstBullying Club, Raise the Roof Campaign, and Development and PeaceCommittee, to name a few. Ms. Y recently encouraged her students to writeletters as part of Amnesty International’s annual Write for Rights Campaign. Her commitment to helping others and building a community of compassionknows no bounds. Her colleagues say it best: “She is truly an incredible person…inspiring students and colleagues alike.”


Mr. G | Who says math can’t be fun every day?Math can be tough — for some much more than others. Since he startedteaching, Mr. G has developed a wide range of innovative and fun ideas to help students get their heads around, and even excel at, math. Mr. G’s‘math cafes’ and after-school programs have been tremendouslysuccessful in engaging students, and providing additional opportunities forgrowth and learning. His engaging and charismatic style, combined withhis passion for guitar (as the founder of his school’s guitar club), haveendeared Mr. G to all of his students and fellow teachers. Every teacherwants to find what works best with their students — and it sounds like Mr. G has found the right note.


7

The courses members take that lead toABQs/AQs — designed by teachers for teachers —reflect the experience and pedagogy of theteaching profession in Ontario. This is one way of demonstrating their dedication to teaching and to providing their students with the besteducation possible. (Ontario College of Teachers)

4. PartnershipsWorking with an education-friendly government has led to considerable improvement in

the relationship between government and teachers. This relationship is based on genuine

dialogue and mutual respect. Working with students in classrooms every day, teachers

have a unique and valuable perspective about student needs.

The teachers’ relationship with government is only one piece of a broader network

of partnerships that includes parents, administrators, school boards and many other

stakeholders such as health providers, social and justice workers, and community

agencies. Schools are community hubs that require various levels of support from

communities, government, and parents, in order to help every student maximize their

potential. When schools have strong links to community organizations and programs,

families have access to a support network and students are more likely to succeed.

The Ontario government should continue to consult with teachers and engage in open and respectful dialogue around education reform. While we’ve come a long way, Ontario still has more work to do in order to put schools at the centre of their communities.

9

Mrs. M | Outside-the-box thinking every dayDrawing on her own experience in visual arts and film production, Mrs. Madded a whole new dimension to her religious education classes by havingher students interview people in their own neighborhoods about socialjustice issues and capturing their stories on film. Based in part on the successof this program, her high school now offers a specialized arts and mediaprogram. Under Mrs. M’s guidance, the school runs a highly successfuldocumentary media festival which focuses on social justice issues. Mrs. Mconsistently pushes her students to think critically, empathize, and initiatepositive change. Students and teachers agree that her ‘outside the box’thinking has created extraordinary experiences and opportunities for herstudents, inspiring many to pursue careers in film and media.


As the system improves, the engine forimprovement shifts to instructionalpractices. This, by its very nature, has muchless to do with the centre and is primarilydriven by the teachers and the schoolsthemselves: it is all about turning schools intolearning organizations. (McKinsey Report)

11

5. Progressive PoliciesThe introduction of full-day Kindergarten, the Equity and Inclusive Education Policy,

and the reduction of primary class sizes are examples of progressive policies that focus

on the student-teacher interaction.

Unfortunately, the government’s initiatives in assessment and evaluation have added

new layers of bureaucracy and administration. A top-down reform model is sluggish

and unnecessary. We know that education reform is most effective when investments

are directly tied to the classroom. Benefits to students are less apparent when spending

is further removed from the classroom, such as when funding is directed

at the administrative level.

Imposing spending cutbacks on the education sector will only compromise the gains

that have been made. Moreover, cutbacks may have the unintended consequence of

increasing the gap between “have” and “have not” schools. We can find cost savings in

the system without sacrificing student performance. Education funding must continue

to focus on the classroom, where it will do the most good.

Evidence-based education policy, supported by sustained public investments, will help to solidify the gains that Ontario has made in education.

Mr. S. | High performance education every dayAs the transportation technology teacher, Mr. S takes his love of cars to the next level. He runs the auto club and often gives up his lunch hour to allow students to work on their projects. When he isn’t in the shop,before class or after school, he’s busy organizing fundraisers that supportschool trips as well as local charities. Students have won countless skillscompetitions, and many have successfully moved into the workforce orgone on to apprentice at the post-secondary level, thanks in part toconnections that Mr. S has formed with the local college. In addition to thetime he spends with his students, Mr. S is also a dedicated mentor for newteachers. Staff and students know how lucky they are to have benefittedfrom the guidance and leadership of Mr. S.


Collaborative practices can unleashsustained improvement; over time shiftingthe source of a system’s improvementaway from central leadership to theeducators themselves. (McKinsey Report)

ConclusionInvestments in Ontario’s publicly funded education system have resulted in

system-wide progress. The gains have helped our education system become one

of the strongest in the world.

We need to continue on the successful course that Ontario has set for itself by protecting

and advancing the gains that have been made. Investments must continue to put

students first, direct funding toward the classroom and strengthen student-teacher

interaction. We must ensure that teachers continue to have the tools that they need

to best meet the needs of their students.

Teachers in Ontario’s EnglishCatholic schools will continueto ‘speak for children’ and worktogether to put students first.Every day.

Mrs. H | Lifelong learning and empowerment every dayColleagues of Mrs. H have described her as an innovative teacher, lifelonglearner and invaluable team member. Mrs. H is constantly taking on newprojects that keep students and staff on the cutting edge of educationaltopics. Not only does Mrs. H initiate and encourage lifelong learning in herstudents, she has continued her own professional development andteaches online courses to other teachers. A real team player, she works to ensure that her colleagues also benefit from the knowledge she hasgained. As one colleague stated, “Our whole school community benefitsfrom her persistence in keeping up with the most recent research andpractices in education.”


SpeakForChildren.ca

Photography: Liam Sharp. Special thanks to the TCDSB.Creative: Scott Thornley + Company. STCworks.ca

everyday teachers. extraordinary impact

Documents