The Importance of Building Student Confidence in the Classroom

Throughout Teachers College, I have been thinking about how important a student's confidence can be in learning. We often focus on what students are learning, whether they are meeting curriculum expectations, and how well they are doing on assignments. However, I think we sometimes forget how much a student's confidence can affect their willingness to learn in the first place. If a student is afraid of getting something wrong or feels like they are not good at a particular subject, they might be less likely to participate, ask questions, or even try. This is something I think teachers need to be more aware of when creating their classroom environments.

I think one of the biggest things teachers can do is make students feel comfortable trying, even when they are unsure of themselves. Growing up, I remember how easy it was to compare myself to other students, especially in subjects I found more challenging. Sometimes, seeing other students understand something quickly made me feel like I was falling behind. Looking back, I realize how important it is for teachers to remind students that everyone learns differently and that understanding something takes time. I want my future students to know that they do not have to get everything right the first time to be successful.

I also think the way teachers respond to students makes a big difference. Instead of only praising students when they get the correct answer, we should recognize the effort and thinking that went into getting there. For example, if a student is struggling with a math problem but is trying different strategies, that effort should be acknowledged. Comments like "I like how you approached that differently" or "You kept working through that even when it was challenging" can help students feel more confident in their abilities. I think these small moments can have a bigger impact than we sometimes realize.

Another thing I want to focus on in my future classroom is giving students opportunities to figure things out for themselves. As teachers, it can be tempting to step in right away when we see a student struggling because we want to help them. However, I think there is also value in giving students time to think, make decisions, and work through challenges independently. Of course, support is still important, but students should also have the opportunity to realize that they are capable of doing things on their own. I think that feeling of accomplishment can help build confidence and encourage them to take on new challenges in the future.

Ultimately, I want my classroom to be a place where students feel comfortable being themselves and are not afraid to try something new. I know that every student will come into the classroom with different strengths, challenges, and experiences, so building confidence will look different for everyone. Some students might feel comfortable sharing their answers with the entire class, while others might need more encouragement or time to feel ready. I think it is our responsibility as teachers to get to know our students and find ways to make everyone feel included and supported.

AbbyP@OTU

Making Room for Mistakes

Something that caught my attention in our Week 4 Learning Key presentation in Learning and Development was the discussion of failure: failure as a first step, “the great teacher,” and a fundamental part of developing resilience in learning (“Week 4 Learning Key Presentation”). I agree with these ideas, but they also made me think about how difficult it can be to accept failure when you have come to see success as part of who you are. 

Growing up, I worked hard, enjoyed school, and often found that concepts came easily to me. Somewhere between middle school and high school, however, my relationship with learning began to change. Being seen as “smart” felt less like encouragement and more like an expectation I had to maintain. Familial and cultural expectations surrounding academic achievement added to that pressure. I wanted to do well, but I also wanted to keep being the person others believed I was. Eventually, the possibility of failure became almost paralyzing. Trying something difficult meant risking an outcome that might challenge how others saw me, and how I saw myself. 

In doing some research I came across Richard G. Beery’s (1975) article, Special Feature: Fear of Failure in the Student Experience, which offers a useful connection to this experience. His discussion includes anxious procrastination, inadequate preparation, and apparent indifference among the ways fear of failure can appear in students’ behaviour. This makes me question how readily we interpret avoidance as a lack of motivation. A student who appears unwilling to try may be struggling with what an unsuccessful attempt could mean to them.

For me, this distinction matters. I cared about doing well, yet that concern sometimes made it harder to begin. Avoidance gave me an explanation for a disappointing outcome that felt less threatening than questioning my ability. Looking back, I can see how protecting my identity as a capable student sometimes interfered with actually learning.

This experience also does not necessarily end with adolescence. Beery (1975) describes fear of failure among undergraduate and graduate students across ability levels. His discussion reminds me that academic capability does not automatically make someone comfortable with uncertainty or setbacks. I can imagine these same fears following students beyond school, affecting whether they pursue an opportunity, ask a question, or attempt something unfamiliar.

Our class discussions about developmental stages and self-efficacy helped me think more deeply about this cycle. I wanted to protect my belief in my abilities, but avoiding challenges meant missing opportunities to build that belief through experience. 

As future teachers, we need to look beyond whether a student completes the work or earns a strong grade and consider how they experience learning and what they believe a mistake says about them. These considerations should shape how we create our classroom environments. We can model uncertainty, acknowledge our own mistakes, and show students how to ask for help and try again. 

Teachers cannot remove every familial, cultural, or social pressure students carry. However, we can influence how students experience difficulty in our classrooms.

MiliS@OTU

References:

Beery, R. G. (1975). Special feature: Fear of failure in the student experience. The Personnel and Guidance Journal, 54(4), 190–203. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2164-4918.1975.tb04220.x

Week 4 learning key presentation [Class presentation]. (n.d.). Learning and Development, Ontario Tech University.

Facing the Music - A Week 6 Reflection

As a child, music was always playing in my house. Music was on in the kitchen, on in the car, and playing at family gatherings. Music was all around me, so when I got the opportunity to learn how to play the piano, I was really passionate about it. I was motivated to learn and motivated to play music that I had grown up listening to. This experience with intrinsic motivation made it easy to get to the piano bench and learn scales, chords, and all the basic “how-tos.”

However, as time went on, I wasn’t learning the type of music that I liked. I was playing things that I didn’t think were up my alley, or maybe they were not challenging enough. This led me to skip days of practice and lose motivation over time. I lost interest in playing and learning the piano, and therefore lost motivation too. I would play just enough to get down the basics for my next piano lesson, and only really kick it into gear when I had a competition coming up, getting that little extrinsic motivational push. I wanted to avoid failure, not really caring about performance or mastery like I did when I first began.

At first, I really wanted to master the keys and do the best I could. But when I realized it maybe wasn’t what I signed up for, or that I was playing things I didn’t really like, that motivation to do well or even master a piece of music went totally out the window. My motivation at the onset was personal, feeling persistent and excited to get the opportunity to play and learn. However, as time went on and that competition was approaching, that's when my motivation became situational, triggered in the moment and fading quickly after.

Looking back, I wish I had taken it more seriously, as I still have a passion for music. However, I have lost any skill that I once may have had at the piano all these years later. I can learn from this as a future educator. I see the impact of not providing students with challenges or opportunities for growth, or not providing students with work they are passionate about, because I was once one of those students.

Gabriel P @ OTU

Maintaining Motivation

Over the course of this semester, we have seen a lot of great ideas in our Learning and Development class. There have been many ideas with great real-world applications. One of those ideas that caught my attention was “Motivation”.

Motivation is one of the most important factors in a student’s participation in their own education. It’s the driving force behind their efforts to succeed. Because of that, I feel that it is very important for teachers to be aware of student motivation, and how to use it effectively. In my own experience teaching English in Japan, I had firsthand experience of the importance of motivation. 

I taught in a vocational school. The students were training to enter the workforce as machinists, electricians, and roboticists. They saw little value in learning English because it would not be very useful in their careers. In other words, they were not particularly motivated to study English. This made it challenging for me to find an effective way for my students to participate in class. I figured that if I could make my lessons more fun, then my students would be more motivated to get involved. So I began adapting board games to teach English vocab and grammar points. Those lessons were a big hit for my students. Instead of dreading a boring English class, they looked forward to playing games with their friends. I gained a reputation as a “fun teacher”, and the class would light up when I came in for a lesson. It was a great feeling. I was glad to find an effective way to motivate my students to learn a rather unpopular subject.

That is why I was so interested in the seminar on motivation in my Learning and Development class. After watching the seminar, I learned that I had used the TARGET method without knowing it. The games were group activities meant to challenge students and give them a degree of control over their learning. In my English classes, I saw firsthand how student motivation can affect the class, and the mood of the students. I believe it’s a very important factor that all teachers should be keenly aware of.

JustinR@OTU

For the Pressure of It All…

While growing up, I always struggled with staying motivated. Whether I was supposed to study for a test, practice the piano, or get extra shots up in the gym, I was more concerned about the consequences than about completing the task. I was always worried about my teacher being upset or failing to perform on the basketball court. I was motivated by failure avoidance. 

This is why I related to the Deep Dive presentation on student motivation. When they explained the motives that students have to be successful, I was able to see myself in the failure avoidance tactic. However, in recent years, as my self-efficacy grew and I got to choose the tasks I was a part of, I then found motivation through wanting to learn the most I could and be the best I could be.

I believe that having the experience of being motivated for the wrong and right reasons will have a great impact on how I teach my future students. As a future teacher, I believe that I must understand strategies that can be used to increase student motivation. Student motivation goes hand in hand with self-efficacy, meaning that a classroom environment that puts the students in the position to succeed is imperative.  For example, if a student is writing a story but has trouble writing, providing them with the opportunity to complete the story using technology or drawing is a great way to improve the student's self-efficacy. 

We are very lucky as future teachers to have many resources to help students succeed. When I was in school, lessons were taught the same way, and assessments were completed the same. Using the technology and resources that are available to us, we have the opportunity to change the lesson to interest the students, create an environment where they can succeed, and encourage the students with different strategies if they are struggling. This will overall increase their self-efficacy and their motivation. 

ElliotC@OTU

My Motivation, My Mission

This week’s deep dive debrief made me think back to my personal experience with motivation. More specifically, the reason I quit my full-time health and safety job was to go back to school and become a teacher. I originally got into the career of occupational health and safety because I was struggling to figure out what I wanted to do in grade 12 and sought guidance in my career choices. My parents, with my best interests in mind, recommended that I get into health and safety, same as my cousins have done, since it was very abundant in job opportunities, high-paying salaries, and in high demand within the job market. So I took this path, and I honestly went through school with no challenges, and the first years of my career were easy as well (or so I thought). Thinking back to all those years past, I did well in terms of managing expectations, workload, and achieving what my intention was. However, I was never motivated throughout this journey and in the end, I was not doing something I had a genuine interest in. I felt like those years of my life came and went, and I was a bystander. I did not strive for a promotion or a next step in my career, and I became a bit unsatisfied with my life. For the next year, I began to spiral and evaluate my life and what career I would have. I knew deep down that I enjoyed working with adolescents and teenagers. I loved educating, guiding, mentoring, and serving people. However, I was too worried to make a big change in my life and go back to school to follow my dream of becoming a teacher. What changed it for me was reaching out to my old High school Chemistry teacher and asking for advice. I wanted to hear it from her: what is the job like, why do you do this, what motivates you? All her answers resonated with me deeply, I felt seen, engaged, and eager to take this next step no matter what it took. Since I have made the decision to go back to school, I have never felt more passionate and motivated at any point in my life. A complete contrast from my previous post-secondary experience, I look forward to learning, improving, trying new things, and hearing new perspectives. I feel engaged and eager to become the best version of myself. The difference now is I am motivated; I am motivated to help other kids one day to find their motivation, to find their passion, and empower them to chase it. I believe students require motivation to truly learn at their best, and our job as educators is to help them find their motivation. Also, we must try to motivate and inspire them constantly, similar to how a coach gives their team a pep talk before a game. Motivation looks different for different students, and our job as educators is to help each student find what motivates them and what they are passionate about. It can be as simple as giving them autonomy over certain tasks, encouraging effort, or trying something new. Our role is to keep students reminded of “why” they do what they do. This is what will create valuable and powerful learning experiences. - PaulM@OTU

Bringing AI Literacy to Early Grades: Practical Resources and Guidance for Teachers

 Here is an article/post from FaceBook:

There is a lot of debate around using AI with children. From what I have seen in the Canadian context, the general approach is to avoid giving children in the early grades direct access to generative AI.

That caution is understandable. Children are still developing their cognitive, emotional, and social skills. We need to think carefully about where AI might support that development and where it might take over activities children need to practise themselves.

For more information, visit: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1048019523623103/posts/1341315360960183/

Courtesy of JasonM@OISE

When the right answer mattered more than the learning

Growing up and going to school in Macedonia almost 20 years ago, my experience with education was quite different from what I see in Canadian classrooms today. Looking back, I often wonder how much of what we were taught we actually understood and how much we simply memorized to get a good grade or avoid getting into trouble.

Most of our classes back then were teacher-led, with the teacher usually standing at the front explaining the lesson while we, the students, listened, took notes, and were expected to remember the information. There was very little room for discussion, questioning, or exploring different ways of learning, and one thing I remember particularly well was the oral questioning, which often felt more like an interrogation than an opportunity to demonstrate what we had learned. We were expected to stand up and answer questions in front of everyone, and not knowing the answer felt quite intimidating, as we often did not have the right answer because we simply did not understand the lesson or what we were supposed to learn from it. Instead of feeling supported when we struggled, we often felt embarrassed or afraid of making mistakes.

Thinking about our recent class discussion on motivation, I can now see how much of my learning was driven by the fear of failure rather than by genuine interest. We genuinely did not understand what was taught; therefore, we lacked motivation and willingness to participate. Getting a good grade or avoiding a bad one became more important than the learning itself. When we discussed the difference between mastery and performance motivation,  it made me think about how different my experience might have been if teachers had encouraged us to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from them.

Another thing that stood out to me from our class was the importance of cooperation. I don't remember having many opportunities to work with classmates, share ideas, or learn from one another. Most of the learning was individual, and success was measured by how well we could remember and repeat information, how well we did on tests, and the score we got. Now, working as an ECE in a kindergarten classroom, I see how much children can learn through conversations, play, exploration, and working together. Sometimes a child can explain something to another child in a way that makes more sense to them than when an adult explains it, as we often forget how children think, and what makes sense in our brains does not necessarily make sense in theirs. 

I also think about the importance of teachers being supportive and approachable. A teacher should be someone students feel comfortable approaching when they don't understand something, rather than someone they fear disappointing. I find that many students are more willing to participate in classroom activities, ask questions, and challenge themselves when they know that making mistakes is an accepted and welcome part of learning. 

As I continue my journey toward becoming a teacher, I find myself reflecting more on my past experiences. Although I cannot change how I was taught, I can use those experiences to shape the kind of teacher I want to become. I want my students to feel that their ideas matter, that they can ask questions without being judged, and that learning is about much more than getting the right answer.

And perhaps the biggest question I am left with is this: How many students are capable of so much more than they show us, simply because they are afraid of making a mistake? Looking back at my own experience, I know for sure I was one of them!

HristinaM@OTU

Group work isn’t always teamwork – how can teachers make cooperation meaningful?

We’ve all experienced group work at some point or another where a few people ended up doing most of the work, or even you yourself did all the work. Personally, I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to group work, which has made me realize that putting people into groups doesn’t automatically mean they are cooperating. 

This challenge was touched on during this week’s learning key presentation. While working with others can help students learn new perspectives, share ideas, and build their communication skills, it can also leave some people feeling unheard or excluded, while others take on the whole workload. I think this is especially important to consider when teaching in elementary classrooms, as students are still developing their social skills and learning how to work with others. 

As a future teacher, I want to create opportunities for students to learn from one another while ensuring everyone feels that their contributions matter. Some strategies discussed in today’s presentation, such as assigning clear roles, setting expectations for participation, and checking individual understanding, can help make group work much more effective. For example, during a science group project, I could assign roles to students, including researcher, recorder, materials manager, or presenter. This ensures that everyone has a responsibility and therefore should be contributing equally. 

Ultimately, I believe cooperation is a skill that needs to be taught and practiced, rather than something we assume students already know how to do coming into class. When we do not teach students how to cooperate effectively, that is when we see unequal distributions in workloads, opinions and thoughts being excluded, and clashing personalities and working styles. So as future teachers, I believe it is vital that we teach students at a young age what effective cooperation means and looks like.

Courtesy of: ZaraK@OTU

Beyond the Lesson Plan: Balancing Tech, Nature, and the Whole Student.

One of the things that stood most out to me throughout this course is how teachers can use different methods to improve their teaching styles and support their students. Teachers achieve this by implementing the latest technology that they have access to in their day to day life which can make their lesson planning and teaching easier and more efficient. This allows teachers to spend more time focusing on what matters most in the class, the topics they teach, how they teach it, and how they support their students. 

Using up to date tech can help reduce some of the time-consuming work that leads to the teachers having to work overtime and can lead to burnout. It also helps teachers stay organized, learn new things, and be more prepared for teaching everyday. Rather than seeing technology as a shortcut or cheating, I see it as a way for teachers to work more efficiently and make more time for the important parts of teaching. 

My group’s tech tool workshop on Google Classroom helped me understand this better. Tools such as Gemini can help teachers create diagrams, translate or change texts, and develop different resources to explain difficult topics. Google Classroom also helps teachers stay organized and create an online classroom where students can access and engage with learning materials. These tools have shown me how technology can support teachers when it is used in the right way.

I also think teachers should try and understand the importance of the natural environments in students’ learning and development. Spending time outdoors while studying allows students to explore, ask questions, and develop their curiosity and sense of wonder. Our Wonder Walk at Kinsmen Valleyview Gardens Park helped me see how my future students could benefit from learning through observation and having a chance to explore their surroundings and question things that they would usually overlook. As future teachers, I believe that we should give students opportunities to connect with nature and learn from experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Another one of the concepts that stood out to me through this course was how teachers see their own students and how their personal opinions can affect their learning experiences. The seminar on learning styles and gender made me realize that the way teachers understand and treat their students also drastically affects their students' learning. For example, when a boy is loud, energetic, or acts out, people may say he is “just being a boy.” When a girl behaves the same way, she may be seen as troublesome, difficult, or disruptive. This made me think about how easily teachers can make assumptions about students based on gender without even realizing it.

As a future teacher, I want to be more aware of this. It is easy to make assumptions about students, especially when we grow up seeing certain behaviours as normal for boys or girls. Students are much more complex than the  labels given to them such as “visual learner” or “kinesthetic learner.” Getting to know students as individuals is just as important as understanding how they learn, as everyone learns in their own way. Teachers should create a classroom where students feel supported and can learn in different ways.

Ultimately, I believe good teaching is about finding a balance in a teacher's teaching style between using technology, connecting students to their environments, and understanding each student as their own individual. Technology can help teachers work more efficiently, nature can encourage curiosity and wonder, and getting to know students can help teachers understand how to support them. These ideas remind me that teaching is not just about delivering lessons.

Brought to you by: SandeepR@OTU

What I Learned About Classroom Management

After reading over the presentation on classroom management, I realized how important it is for teachers to create a positive and supportive learning environment. Before becoming a teacher, it can be easy to think that classroom management is mainly about making sure students follow the rules and stay on task. However, I learned that it is about so much more than that. It also involves building relationships with students, communicating clearly, setting expectations, and making sure students feel safe and respected in the classroom.

One thing that stood out to me was the importance of handling conflict in a positive way. Students are still learning how to communicate their feelings, solve problems, and work through disagreements with others. Instead of immediately punishing students, teachers can encourage them to talk through their problems, listen to each other, and find a solution. I think this is important because students can learn from these situations and develop skills that they can use outside of the classroom as well.

I also found it interesting how something as simple as the classroom seating arrangement can make a difference in how students learn. For example, having students sit in clusters can make it easier for them to work together and share ideas, while sitting in rows can help students focus on the teacher during certain lessons. This reminded me that teachers need to think carefully about how they organize their classrooms depending on the activity and the needs of their students.

Another important takeaway was the role of communication between teachers and parents. Using emails, phone calls, and classroom letters helps keep parents informed about their child's progress, learning, and behaviour. I think having a good relationship with parents is important because students benefit when the adults in their lives communicate and work together to support them.

Overall, reading through this presentation helped me realize that effective classroom management is not just about controlling behaviour. It is about creating an environment where students feel comfortable, supported, and ready to learn. As a future teacher, I want my classroom to be a place where students understand expectations but also feel like they can make mistakes, ask questions, and learn from their experiences. I know that every classroom will have different challenges, but I think being patient, consistent, and understanding will help me build a positive learning environment for my students.

NelehW@OTU

The Importance of Constructive Criticism

It is common to seek confirmation rather than criticism however criticism is essential for growth. This week's TT Workshop did a great job of highlighting the different types of criticism and ways to give supportive criticism. As a teacher it is important to provide your students with feedback that supports their learning, improvement, and growth. Feedback has the ability to motivate students but also has the ability to cause students to shut down. Which is why it is so important to be aware of the feedback you are giving by approaching it as a way to let students know where they can improve while also praising what they did well.

I have personal experience of receiving belittling criticism from a teacher and it led to me being defensive towards any feedback that came from this teacher. In elementary school for book discussions we were allowed to come up and look at the different options before making a request list for our teacher to take into consideration when assigning books. I remember being excited looking at one of the books and putting it on my list when my teacher approached me and said something along the lines of “why are you even looking at that book like I would ever even consider putting you in that group you can’t read a book like that”. This criticism led to me completely shutting down. Later on the teacher ended up assigning me that same book but decided to make a comment as she handed me the book which was “don’t make me regret giving this book to you”. This type of criticism affected my learning experience in this class as I no longer felt excited or motivated to be doing this assignment. It also made me no longer feel comfortable asking this teacher questions if I was ever confused about something.

This experience really showed me that when I become a teacher I do not want to give criticism like this. Criticism should not be something that feels like a personal attack or makes students feel like they are not capable of improving. Criticism should help students enhance their work and personal growth. In my future classroom I want students to actively listen to the feedback I give and learn from it to help them on their learning journey. 

No worries: NatashaM@OTU

Finding My Element: A Journey Through Teaching and Learning

Joseph Joubert, a French moralist and essayist, said, “To teach is to learn twice.” 

I recall the first time I truly comprehended the meaning of the phrase. 

I was tutoring grade 11 chemistry.

As a background, I had achieved straight A’s in high school and even in university chemistry. I had mastered chemistry, or so I had believed. It was not until I began tutoring chemistry to high school students that I realized I had never truly understood it. I was able to find the solution to most chemistry reactions (excuse the pun), but I realized in those hours of tutoring that I never actually understood why those reactions were occurring.

Reviewing those fundamental terms and models enabled me to connect my university-level knowledge and lived experiences with the basic knowledge I had taken for granted all those years ago. It was as if the chemistry world had unveiled itself to me for the first time, and I was reacting in pure awe (last pun I promise!).

As educators, we must remain humble.  This means acknowledging our own limitations and being open to learning alongside our students.

When we approach teaching with a sound sense of humility, we grant ourselves the grace to make mistakes, learn from our students, and remain open to new ideas and perspectives. In doing so, we are effectively modelling to our students a healthy approach to lifelong learning.

I have heard several times from fellow teaching candidates, “What will I do if a student asks me a question and I do not know the answer?” How we respond to this situation helps model to young people the importance of humility and navigating the experience in a healthy manner. Inviting students into the mystery of the unknown is not only educational, it demonstrates that we are all human. Teachers are human; we are not computers with all the information, but we are designed with curiosity and made for community. 

When confronted with challenging questions for which you lack an answer, invite students into that moment of humility, humanity and community. Learn together and discover the answer collaboratively. In the process, you will likely gain new ideas, perspectives and opinions. Learning should not be confined to a mark on a report card; it should inspire and equip us for our future.

AliciaL@OTU

AI Literacy is a Priority, Not a Prohibition

AI Literacy is a Priority, Not a Prohibition                           

              Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping healthcare, marketing, scientific research, education and many other fields. Yet, many school districts and governments are restricting Generative-AI. According to them, this will create concerns about plagiarism, independent problem-solving and development of basic reading and writing skills. While these concerns are valid, I believe we should move past from standard panic of misuse and focus on introduction of systematic AI literacy.

Switch from Traditional Learning to AI-Driven Learning

               During my school days, technology played a limited role. I had to rely on textbooks, classroom instructions and libraries to build my knowledge. Today, students can access AI tools that can generate ideas, explain complex concepts and promote personalized learning. They can enhance their knowledge to any extent they want.

               In my learning, I have come to realise that teachers are no more the only source of knowledge. Students can also introduce new ideas that can help teachers learn. If AI is used thoughtfully, it can support this exchange of knowledge. However, students must understand that AI should be used to support learning, not replace independent thinking.

Nurturing Critical Thinkers

               I believe AI is not a cheating tool, rather it is a solution of how knowledge can be communicated and processed. Using AI as a tool to summarize a topic or complete an assignment does not promote meaningful learning. However, banning it also won’t teach students how to use it responsibly. Instead, students should learn to express and configure high level prompts, customize tools by identifying inaccuracies, weak logics or hidden biases and verify information from reliable sources. Also, interactive AI- supported activities and gamification makes the learning process engaging and interesting.

 

Inclusion Matter

As future educators, we frequently discuss techniques and values of inclusive learning environments. There are students who rely on screen readers, translation or speech-to-text tools to access the curriculum. For multilingual learners and students with diverse learning needs, a complete ban of technology unintentionally limits their participation.

               Furthermore, many students do not have access to technology at home and rely on classroom learning. Absolute restrictions to digital tools will widen equity gaps for them and leave them unprepared for an AI-infused workforce.

 

Digging Deeper

Moving forward, educators need professional training, clear guidelines and best practices for integrating AI responsibly in education settings. Assessment practices should also evolve. Rather than evaluating only the final product, teachers can ask students to critique AI answers, identify gaps in reasoning, show their brainstorming map and reflect on the topic. The goal should be designing an assignment where learning is visible. Most importantly, teachers must remain actively involved in the learning process. Sometimes AI can hallucinate and provide misleading information. Students need foundational knowledge to evaluate and improve AI drafts. Students need to develop analog and the digital co-processing mindset. AI should enhance learners’ creativity- not replace them.

The future of education should not be about choosing between independent, traditional learning and digital tools; but learning how they can work together responsibly.

To get more information on this topic, go to:

·        https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/beyond-bans-rebuilding-teaching-for-a-world-with-ai/

·        https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/blog/beyond-banning-ai-teaching-students-to-use-it-well

·        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPQ_tv45jo4

 

Generated by: SnigdhaM@OTU

Curricumate Demo

In this full 15-minute walkthrough, you’ll see how teachers are using Curricumate to save time on lesson planning, assessment design, differentiation, report writing, IEP support, and more — all directly aligned with the Ontario curriculum.

Unlike general AI tools, Curricumate connects directly to grade-level expectations and instructional practices used in Ontario classrooms.

Click the link >>>>> https://youtu.be/ELGliWtlf14

Enjoy, from John @NUO

More demo videos are coming your way. Stay tuned

Disability Rights in Today's Classrooms

Looking back on my observation week, I realize how normal it felt to see students with special needs integrated into the classroom. They had Educator Assistants (EAs), noise-cancelling headphones, iPads and modified worksheets. It wasn't always like this; the law changed.

A big shift since the 1970s

Since the 1970s, political and social attitudes have steadily shifted toward including people with disabilities in everyday activities (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). They describe three major American laws. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 required that programs receiving federal funding accommodate people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 extended that protection to employment and public spaces. First passed in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) focused on education and fair evaluation. It guarantees students a free, appropriate education in the least restrictive environment and an individualized educational program (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). 

The authors also note that these laws both caused and reflected a change in attitudes (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). Disability went from something people were excluded for to something schools are legally expected to support. Seifert & Sutton (2017) add that if you teach long enough, you will very likely have a student with a disability in your class. That was true for me in just one week of practicum. My class had four students with special needs, including one student with ADHD and a learning disability and three students who are non-verbal and have Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

What the law looks like in Ontario

In Ontario, the Education Act requires school boards to provide special education programs and services for students formally identified as "exceptional," and Regulation 181/98 sets out how those students are identified and placed (Ontario Ministry of Education). Before placing a student in a special education class, the committee must first consider whether a regular class with the right supports would meet their needs (Ontario Ministry of Education). This closely aligns with the "least restrictive environment" idea in the chapter (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). Ontario's special education program also includes an Individual Education Plan (IEP) with objectives and an outline of the services the student will receive (Ontario Ministry of Education). 

Additionally, a second layer of protection, the Ontario Human Rights Code, guarantees equal treatment in education without discrimination based on disability and education providers must accommodate students with disabilities up to the point of undue hardship (Ontario Human Rights Commission).

Personal Experience

I see this shift of inclusion in my job too. I work as a live transcriber where I take lecture notes for deaf and hard of hearing college students so they can follow lectures as they happen. Colleges and universities fall under the Human Rights Code's duty to accommodate (Ontario Human Rights Commission), so this service is a legal right, not a favour or an advantage. Seifert and Sutton (2017) explain that evaluations should not assume abilities, like hearing questions, that a person with a disability cannot be expected to have. They also suggest giving students with hearing loss visual support for what is said aloud (Seifert & Sutton, 2017). Live transcription does just that and I am happy to be a part of it. 

Inclusion is being debated right now

In October 2026, Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra signaled that the province is re-evaluating whether the current inclusion model is effectively working for students with special needs and whether funding adjustments are required (Yazdani, 2026). This connects to rights and plans like IEPs only working when there are enough people and resources to carry them out. Seifert and Sutton (2017) describe the IEP as a team effort needing staff, time and funding. 

The law has made inclusion the standard, but a law alone is not enough. As my TA said to me, "Inclusion without support is abandonment." 

References 

Ontario Human Rights Commission. Accommodating students with disabilities: Roles and repsonstitilies (fact sheet). https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/accommodating-students-disabilities-roles-and-responsibilities-fact-sheet

Ontario Human Rights Commission. Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/book/export/html/2976

Ontario Ministry of Education. Identifying student's special education needs. https://www.ontario.ca/page/identifying-students-special-education-needs

Seifert, K., & Sutton, R. (2017). Educational psychology (Chapter 5: Students with special educational needs). Global Text. CC BY. 

Yazdani, T. (2026). Education minister signals potential changes to Ontario's special education model. The Trilium. https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/education-and-training/education-minister-signals-potential-changes-to-ontarios-special-education-model-12846203

MakaylaS@OTU