PQP Pt.1-Module 2 (Leadership Frameworks)

This is what I did when I was going through the Leadership Frameworks, although there were extensive readings involved, I'll organize and demosntrate the connections I made to the frameworks.

See the document available for downloading here.

"

Visit Pending. Guangzhou (2023) Bowling.

 

PQP Pt.1 and 2: Good Advice to Consider with Regards to Discussion Posts.

 Good afternoon all!

On the Saturday, April 29th  Zoom session, we worked together to create some Group Norms to guide us in Discussions, Posts, and Feedback.  I have posted them below.

Please use these to frame and govern your posts, participation, and responses going forward. 

Thank you to all of you who were able to join and create this meaningful working dialogue framework!

Challenge by choice (Where we have the option to step in and out of challenging conversations)

Own your intentions and impacts

Widen your lens

Practice intellectual humility

Show respect

Push your learning edge

Love and kindness as a mindset

Maintaining Confidentiality

PQP 1 and 2, Final Discussions, Reflections: On the Process and What This Means Now.

PQP #1 Log of Hours-Requirement Met.

Downloadable Document

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PQP #2 Log of Hours-Surpassed.

Document shared here:

TpT Page Document

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PQP #2 Self-Reflection of Learning Goals Feedback:

Apr 4, 2023 5:26 PM

Hello Carm,

All that is required here is the PQP learning goals reflection. I believe you may have to submit the other documents with your practicum, final submission.

With regards to my comments in relation to your reflections, despite the fact you were in a completely different time-zone on the other side of the world, your engagement throughout demonstrated your commitment and professionalism. Your posts effectively reflect your successful efforts at initiating and building learning communities as a leader within your school. Your consciousness and commitment to support diversity and promote inclusion, excellence, accountability, anti-racism, equity, partnerships and innovation was clearly evident in your posts and responses. It is clear that you are growing in your understanding of student-related legislation in Ontario. 

You have made significant contributions in your posts and responses to peers. You are clearly a reflective practitioner, passionate about making a difference for students and their families. I encourage you to continue to build on your strengths and utilize your shortcomings as stepping stones to a a more effective and human-centred approach forward.

Thank you for your compliments and encouragements to me as an instructor. I too hope we might meet in person one day in the future.

Congratulations on your successful completion of the PQP2 course requirements. Good luck with your practicum submission!

Kind regards,

Document can be found here:

Downloadable Document

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PQP Final Submission

Document Package Submitted:

Found here:

PQP Pt.2: Module 6.4 Personal Leadership Style

 As per course, 

Listen to the following podcast: Brene Brown "Armored vs Daring Leadership Part 1 & 2"  Consider your reflections on your personal EI strengths and areas for growth and the podcast and answer the following in the discussion post:

What situations cause you to 'armor up' and what does that armor look like? How might you pursue 'skilling up' in order to avoid armoring and practice daring leadership?

In what ways does 'shame' exist behind the walls of your classroom, school, Board or system? How might you disrupt or unearth shame to build courageous and daring environments where belonging is inclusive, celebrates differences, embraces change, and fosters creativity and learning?

Unlocking Us With Brene Brown – Brene on Armoured vs Daring Leadership Part 1 of 2

Unlocking Us With Brene Brown – Brene on Armoured vs Daring Leadership Part 2 of 2

Discussion:

What situations cause you to 'armor up' and what does that armor look like? How might you pursue 'skilling up' in order to avoid armoring and practice daring leadership?

In what ways does 'shame' exist behind the walls of your classroom, school, Board or system (or perhaps it does not)? How might you disrupt or unearth shame to build courageous and daring environments where belonging is inclusive, celebrates differences, embraces change, and fosters creativity and learning?

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As per discussion,

With international schools, there is a grand expectation that as a teacher walks into the classroom and school, that they should be prepared and ready to produce. In situations that one has expected to be in an area of "knowing" or expertise, Brown (2022) discusses the idea of "armouring up" as an idea that people use as a facade. In many cases, this is so engrained into a workplace (even in Ontario and Colleges/Universities) that when I meet candidates, or incoming teachers, there a look I get when I ask them, so "what do you like to teach?", "what do you think your interest and excel might be." I get a question in response, "well, what do you teach here?" The conversation unfolds in a way that allows a colleague to see that honestly, I don't have an answer to that because it has been changing every year since I moved overseas. Very seldom do I have the opportunity to teach the same text more than 2 times after creating the unit. Usually this implies a sense of uncomfort, but isn't that it, its important to understand that every group of students is different, every teacher is different. Where I used to teach Shakespeare and Huxley, I am now teaching Yvette Nolan and Michelle Good. This facade that "you're the lead teacher, you can just say, 'this is what students will learn'", demonstrates how even as teachers people are willing to believe "being a knower and knowing you're right" is appropriate in leadership. Daring Leadership however, "being a learner and getting it right" (Brown, 2022) demonstrates the need to question, wonder and be brave. There is a haven of comfort that a daring leader may seek refuge in, this being the idea that asking for help is important and vital to effective leadership. When I meet someone who will be working in the English department with me, I always ask, "what worked well for you when you taught in the past, based on what you have come to understand about the students here at this school, how would you feel moving forward with what you have done before, why or why not?"

Since I have graduated from teacher's college, there has not be a year in which I did not find myself in a hard conversation, one way or another. When I first recieved opportunity to apply for a vice-principal position (however premature it was at that time-no MA which was required, but all the same, it was an open hiring position), I submitted my cover letter and resume into the pool. When weekly memo came out with notice of the new Vice-Principal named, the lot of us were shocked. This was namely because there was no actual interview that had taken place. This was a speicfic picking and created position for an incoming teacher who was married to the superintendent and didn't want to be "just teaching", which was described by the new arrival. The inquiry into the situation led the Principal into holding interviews to provide the experience that many of us had actually put our names in for the purpose of. Furthermore, these positions are often hired with base on mentoring and previous interest expressed included. The principal said that due to scheduling and timing, there would be three interviews conducted with the most qualified candidates (to be honest, when aapplying I was unaware that there were as many applicants as there were), I inquired on feedback in regards to what I was missing in my application that might be something I could spend time improving, the principal had been willing to meet, for a few minutes and stated that "I lack direction; as well as don't have enough time in a leadership role to move forward adminstratively yet." I was then ushered out quickly without being asked if there were follow-up questions or concerns, due to another meeting. I followed up with an email inquiry anyways, with reference to situations that blatanlty spoke in contradiction with what the principal had said. The follow-up respone was "Sorry, I didn't want to go into in details with you because I didn't want to embarass you in front of other staff. Come back tomorrow and we can talk more.". This conversation was more "honest", but certainly played on the "woe is me" side of the principal who implied that there needs to sympathy and understanding in the situation from the teaching staff to administration. I was then told to speak to the superintendant if I had further concerns. I did, cause I played hockey with the person, I felt comfortable enough. I was denied an official meet due to "meetings" but recieved an email saying that my resume is not an administrator's resume. I inquired if I could see an example of what that looks like. I inquired with some colleagues who were in similar positions, I actually had one colleague who shared their resume which wasn't initially helpful, but with their explanation of how they organized it-then it made great sense, but even then they said "its not necessarily how it looks, but what it says.", this is a colleague that I really didn't find a lot of common ground with, but I respected them for their willingness to be professional and have hard conversations.  This depiction of armoured leadership mentioend is "tapping out of  hard conversations" (Brown, 2022). Skillling-Up for hard conversations (Brown, 2022), demonstrates I sometimes go and address things based on a philosophy that a former colleague left with me. "I make a point of finding at least 1 thing that I like about everyone I work with, I will go and spend countless luncheons with that person until I can find 1 thing I like in some cases." This sentiment that resonates with me is not that negative perspective that one can hold on the speaker as "pretenious or self-conceded", but the idea that it is normal to work with all sorts of people, some are people that one can sit an enjoy a meal with, whereas others are people who we would not want to introduce to our families. I like the idea of identifying common ground in teams. Skilling up can certainly look like a forceful introduction and learned appreciation for all parts of the workplace.

In the OCT, the "blue pages", may be something of an example of  how shame culture is used to derive social/professional norms. Aromoured leadership through self-policing, versus daring leaddership that endorses personal growth (Brown, 2022) requires people to be "driven internally", innovation and shame not being conducive to a model that allows for growth. I was once given a warning about taking a sick leave as a personal leave in a previous workplace. A "hush" culture of neptism was in existence, "don't ask, don't tell" sort of procedures. Our contracts did not include "personal days", and day was certainly needed. I was reported by a colleague (who remained anonymous), my principal at that time pulled me into the office, was really nervous and asked me, was I sick, what I did on my day off. I was really open (falsely thinking this was a wellness check), I was then handed a series of "disciplinary action pages" from BC that reflected situations where "sick days were inproperly used". The principal asked that I don't talk about it with colleagues and discuss my concerns or meeting about this. At that point, my question was "how will this NOT happen to someone else if we don't talk about?" and I was really concerned, if this is "just a warning", why can't we revisit this and see what a sick day versus personal day looks like on the contract. This is where I have seen and fallen victim to "shaming in the walls".

Other notes.

Cynics and critics versus participation, this is certainly a cliche issue. People are nervous about participating and are more willing to "criticize than contribute" (Brown, 2022). 

Other thoughts, 

What situations cause you to 'armour up' and what does that armor look like?

Situations where I want to self-protect when I feel backed into a corner are when I am advising a staff member to improve on their job performance, and they start yelling at me and saying their way is right. It doesn’t make me feel that great, when I am dealing with this conflict. And in these situations, I try to be passive and listen to their side of the story of why they did that. I also noticed that I showed empathy in this situation, telling the staff member that I understand where they are coming from. I know to avoid an argument with them. An example would be that the staff member insists they were taught this way in their teacher’s college. However, I told them that I am in contact with the teacher’s professional development program, and I know differently. I also said that I attended the same institution, and I was taught differently. It makes me wonder about the extension of the teachers program because when I attended years ago, we were taught how to do this correctly in a shorter program. My instinct tells me that this teacher is in a rush, and doesn’t take the time to follow the ministry guidelines. I have learned over the years to ‘Armour Up’, in reality I am a soft spoken, soft hearted Indigenous Woman, that if someone say’s something negative towards me, I can break down and cry. However, by ‘Armouring Up’, and by positioning myself from the situation, and by using reflexivity, and looking at the situation through a variety of lenses, these practices have helped me to be a stronger leader in these tough conversations.

How might you pursue 'skilling up' in order to avoid armoring and practice daring leadership?

One way of skilling up would be what Brown said, “we suffer the heart meaning we cut off vulnerability and other emotions from our work” (2021). This allows us to be more productive. In this situation, I could have had a second person witness the conversation, like my vice-principal and to put my own emotions aside, and to focus on the content of the conversation that I am having with the staff member. In fact, based on my current experience it is advisable that you have a witness with these difficult conversations. Or you have a voice recorder to document the conversation. (With permission of the staff member knowing that you are recording the conversation) Sometimes it can have a negative impact with a complaint from the staff member. And you would need proof of what transpired in the meeting. I know as I gain more experience in the role that my courage will improve, and my vulnerability will decrease with time. I originally did my First Nation Part 1 and Part 2, over fifteen years ago. And I have had experience in the role for fifteen years, and I can see an improvement with myself during this time. I am so grateful for taking this gruelling part 2 course at Lakehead University, because I am up to standards with the provincial system. I have met several principals and colleagues across the country and have learned from everyone. Some ideas I would like to apply to our school. And ask some of you for permission of your ideas, before the course ends next week. Someone asked me if I would move back to the Provincial System, as a Principal. However, as many of you are aware, my current school is from grades JK to 12. And my intentions, was to improve the Grades 9 to 12 to provincial standards. I want to retire when I am 60. And I feel that the board has recently supported me with these educational goals, and I feel obligated to stay here till I retire. Overall, it has helped me to strengthen me through a network of leaders as I move happily forward.

In what ways does 'shame' exist behind the walls of your classroom, school, Board or system (or perhaps it does not)?

I really have worked on this these past months to transition our school with a positive culture in the school. However, unfortunately I did have an incident with a staff member who came up to me and said, “we are thinking that you are behaving like the previous administration.” When I asked who we was, they never released names to me. Just like how Brown said, “I have difficulty when someone comes up to me, and says we think that you are handling the situation wrong”. She then says she asks who we are, and the employee doesn’t reply. And she then tells them that basically, “I can’t resolve this unless you give me more details.”  Upon analysis of this staff member, I reflect back on that they have a habit of coming into work late. I remembered that recently I had a tough conversation with them about this, and that they were expected to be on time. They were one of the support teachers in an additional core subject, and teachers have missed their prep time during the first period of day. With a private school board they seem to be more relaxed with the labour board laws. And I have been told by the director to show more empathy. However, this employee has been late over 60 times, and has caused the board additional money to be paid out to the teachers. The teachers get reimbursed for missing their prep time. Based on my experience, with private school board’s over the years, you have to understand the local culture within the school. And you can not shame the teachers behind the classroom walls. I have trained my staff to think positively, and to support each other instead of gossiping about each other.

How might you disrupt or unearth shame to build courageous and daring environments where belonging is inclusive, celebrates differences, embraces change, and fosters creativity and learning?

In our school, as the principal I believe what Brown said, “if you want creativity and innovation, if we want to be able to serve diverse customers we need people bringing themselves different viewpoints diversity representation inclusion” (2021). As the principal of the school it is important that I use equity across the board at all  intersections and so common indicators for fitting in culture diversity. I can make sure that more people are hired from minority groups in our school, and to make sure that all employees feel respected, and free of harassment. I also need to overhaul old  policies, old rules and regulations, build a diverse workforce. Other things that I could do are to eliminate hostile working environments, engage in team-building exercises that foster respect and connection within diverse groups, and implement more inclusive policies with a strong impact on my school culture. Finally, I think it is important to model and embrace the change, because staff members would be more acceptable to the change happening in the school environment.

References

Brown, B., (2021, April 5). Armoured vs Daring Leadership. Part 1 of 2.[Video]. You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB-chRrmQRU

Brown, B., (2021, April 12). Armoured vs Daring Leadership. Part 2 of 2.[Video]. You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b8tH2E2b4M

PQP Pt.2: Module 6.3 Accountable Leadership

As per course, 

View the PowerPoint Initiative Implementation by Christy Radbourne. After viewing the PowerPoint choose an existing or new policy/framework/initiative/program and apply the process in the PowerPoint using your current school community as the context. You may choose a Ministry Framework (FNMI Framework; Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow (Environmental Education)) or an Initiative (Collaboration PPM; Full Day Kindergarten), a Board Policy/Program, or International/Local initiative and it may be already in existence and implemented or brand new.

Please apply the three critique tools discussed in the Power Point (slide 5) and discuss your reflections on each part of the process. Finally, provide some recommendations with how you would proceed with implementation in your school, based on your analysis in the Discussion Post.

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Policy Document/Framework Observed: 

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000111/ontario-acting-to-combat-anti-asian-racism-in-schools

Summary of Document "Bill 299 2021"

-OR-

https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/teaching-destreamed 

meh, okay, going with this, 

Peer-Mentoring and Student Success

Introduction:

Currently the school I am employed in seeks to build school community and student opportunity. The school wants and asks that staff create more “grand” and “visible” achievement opportunities for students. This comes from the marketing of the school namely, but certainly has tremendous benefit to the students themselves. Our school strives for individual and collective success.  

Who is the target audience?

The current international school program I am employed in is currently in great a great position as a school of community learning. There are many beneficial areas of our school that stem from a systemic collectivism. Students understand that sustained success comes from within the success itself. In some areas of the school it may be possible to see “isolated success”, but for the most part we are building a community a learners and it strongly comes as reinforcement from a program that our “in-house experts” here call “Peer-Mentoring”. 

In most cases the students who were in need of mentoring were essentially ESL/ELL students or students who are incoming from another school who are not credit rich and may be overloading their semester to ensure that they can get their diploma (these are rare cases).

Currently, with a fair number of students who have an exceptionally strong background in various course areas and are credit rich, they are willing to produce hours in service of working with schoolmates or even classmates that need assistance or further guidance in areas of their courses. Teachers do provide tutorials, however in some cases, teachers are in meetings, need time to complete marking or ask that after the initial tutorial with the teacher, that the student follows up with a peer-mentor.

How does this build/strengthen School Culture?

The expectation of the program was initially to be a source of volunteer opportunity, or observation by teachers to have further points of recommendation in letters to universities. The program has since expanded and evolved into a less “time-based” event to a personal project that some students are using as a part of their PLF4M course work.

This program has built understanding in students that there is a need for their expertise that has a grand, positive and beneficial impact on the school, other’s perception of themselves and their own enrichment in learning.

How does the program expand or become more effective over time?

One cohort to another, there are at least one class of students that excel far beyond the scope of expectation. Usually, this group’s success will spider-web out into the community, trickling down to others who interact on an engaging and regular level with these students.

In many cases, successful students are humble, shy or uncertain on how to share their personal successes, and this reinforces the need for teachers hone experts in their classrooms as well as build, or tier instruction to foster opportunity on the part of these experts within the class. 

These experts come recommended by their teachers to the peer-mentoring program for the subjects they list available to mentor in. Teachers are encouraged to utilize peer-mentoring, but not encouraged to “drop-off” students. Rather, the mentoring program is (from the example of our English Department), a chance for a student in a low tier achievement path in the class to read with in a bilingual and professional setting; peer-edit with when the peer-editing in class opportunity has been missed; someone to build reaffirmation of referencing techniques with when preparing to publish work. 

PQP Pt. 2: Module 5.4 (Effective and Ethical Use of Technology in Leadership)

 Reflect on the use of digital technologies for communication in schools today.  What are the opportunities/challenges/barriers? In what way can technology enhance not only school – community connection, but teaching and learning? How can we define tension point between when face to face is needed versus when technology is appropriate?  Finally, in what ways has technology opened opportunities for underserved students and in what ways has it exacerbated barriers?

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As per discussion,

Video Available:

Transcribed work, 

COVID-19 will forever be a paradigm shift in technology and education. Prior to COVID-19 the question was surrounding the potentiality that technology in education may be inequitable. Since that point, developments surrounding teacher test base licensing of software and school funding/subsidization has changed the outlook of technology in the classroom. Barriers with technology have been built for over a decade to accommodate disabilities and poverty, but they are not built to protect education based stake-holders from themselves (computers and human nature), this is the current challenge.

The school I am currently working in, there is a great deal of discussion that surrounds the use of social media as a form of communication between students and teachers as well as when or how to unplug from technological communication. LMS's are sometimes too accessible and convenient which in turn develops a sense of never ending work days, and thus burn-out situations.

It feels like a discussion that has been occuring for a lengthy period of time and is still very much one that is based on "where" and "when" context. Technology in classrooms in Canada seem to welcome the opportunities to try software and technologies, where in many classrooms in China, it seems like it is a good thing up until it is “too much” of a good thing. Reflecting back on the introduction of PPT’s in class, in some cases classrooms were blessed to have a younger and tech savoy teacher to turn the lessons on Napoleon Bonaparte’s Conquest into a relatively interactive slideshow rather than the the transparent based film paper, with black and white text on it. Becoming a teacher myself, I quickly learned that PPT’s were/are an old gimmick. Its success and continued use is beneficial on many levels, but at the same time can be done and is done in many other ways. Point being, everyone does the same thing and then it becomes a matter of try to get past a sense of mundane attitude that had been developed through exposure of PPT’s based on lecture rather than engagement.

Going past PPT’s, came social media for all. Limiting or creating boundaries of our personal lives and those we work with or educate. We find ourselves now in the era of ChatGPT and advanced AI technologies, another gimmick that as teachers, may seem like is detrimental to our way of profession, but can be a blessing in disguise. Opportunities come from the application of our cognitive leadership resources that we as leaders in classrooms, schools and communities, anticipate and develop to integrate into our practice and profession.

In cases based on isolation and lack of exposure to extended learning resources, ChatGPT might be an opportunity to close the knowledge gap that teachers may feel challenges them in a new teaching area of their experience, or even for students who feel there are still questions that they would like to have answered. Examples of overcoming communication obstacles go as far as the EQAO presenting data in a single place for all stakeholders to access and observe. Morever considering discussions on MFIPPA and FIPPA, technology is an effective manner in ensuring that data and communications are passed securely and with assurance.

Through planned application of technologies and policy driven methodology of technological communications, technology has a place in the education system but will also pose a risk to the stakeholders one way or another because of the fact that just as a lesson on a more taboo topic in class, it is a human operated/facilitated tool that requires appropriation.

The possibilities with regards to technology and even advancements in “modern technology” not only provide further opportunities for enriched learning but an enriched learning in how to conduct oneself appropriately socially. It feels like this is most ethical when it begins with a communication line between the parents and teachers, thereafter being an extending invitation to the students. Leithwood's sentiments on parent engagement (2012) resonate with me in that if there is a matter of convenient time or relevantly timed discussions for areas in need of attention, the students can receive effective supports.

PQP Part II-Module 6-1 (TPAs and Leveraging Staff Strengths)

The Teacher Performance Appraisal and Annual Learning Plan are often looked at as either a function to ‘get through’ or as a negative interaction.  However, both can be used to examine and highlight teacher strengths and link them to school improvement efforts and student success.  This work in strengths and mentoring can be used to make effective staffing decisions within schools.

School staffing is a widely varied exercise that is dependent on Board variables and processes as well as contractual obligations. In staffing a school, the Principal must consider Board processes, policies, and procedures as well as contractual obligations and qualifications while also ensuring that the 'right' teachers are placed in the appropriate placements in order to ensure maximum impact on student achievement and well-being.

Read and Review and Reflect on in your Comments:

• Implementation of a Strengths-Based Approach to Teaching in an Elementary School (2012) K Brownlee, E.P. Rawana, J. MacArthur
• Conversation Starters for Mentors and Mentees (2010) MOE

• The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession
• The Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession
• Ontario Labour Relations Act
• Ontario Employment Standards Act

Please comment on/ describe how staffing is completed within your Board/School.  Please include a discussion on how you would weigh student needs with procedural and contractual obligations. In what ways can you identify staff strengths and utilize them in effective placements? How can you use mentor conversations during staffing processes effectively?

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While being overseas at an International Private School with the Ontario and previously an International School with the British Columbia Curriculum offered, there are percievable differences than those onshore than there are similar practices to those also offshore.

Every year, no later than March, teachers are asked to provide insight into their intentions to return or conclude their contract/renewal for the coming year. Recruitment begins in November, interviews are usually conducted by end of December (if there is a predetermined need for specific staff within our program). Otherwise there will be initial conversations/introductions/webinars and then interviews to follow.

Our Staffing pool or draft usually begins in April (depending on the size of the staff), sometimes it may be as early as March if it is a high turnover year. In a larger setting Lead Teachers are asked consider names and current teaching assignments along with offered courses. The Lead Teachers take into account the current staff expectations, incoming staff qualifications (firstly and then their expectations) and what the precieved courses offered are for the semester. In a smaller school setting the Principal will usually refer namely to the needs of the program, being the OCT certified teachers to be strictly in OSSD credit courses versus the non-OCT teachers (but still international) placed in locally-developed, or program transfer credits.

Come June, teaching assignments end, student enrollment is continually underway, although the principal can speak to the “subject” placement of teachers, there is no certainty until August in regards to course specific assignments and class sizes (in any size of international school, there may be more certainty in a Foreign National School).

Come August, there are discussions that may occur, teachers can voice or discuss with the principal any needs or appreciable concerns. An example, a teacher who needs to participate in morning lectures between Feb and March classes, may request period 1 as spare to conduct themselves accordingly. If the Principal is willing and has the ability to understand the staff, the principal has quite a lot of pull in an International Private School regarding staffing needs, whereas in many other areas, their reach is more limited. In very rare cases, a teacher may need to take leave or may feel incapable of completing the contract, in those rare cases, a teacher may volunteer their spare/prep  for compensation and teach that period so as long as they have that period off.

PQP Part II-Module 5-2 (Equity in Hiring Policies and Behavioral Event Interviews)

 As per course, 

"Read and Review:

Ontario Labour Relations Act

Ontario Employment Standards Act

Ontario Human Rights Code (Specifically Protected Grounds)

With the repeal of Regulation 274, School Boards in Ontario are required to develop new hiring policies.  Reg 274 focused on seniority as a hiring mechanism, in order to prevent and/or mitigate nepotism. In its absence, Boards have spent the last year developing new hiring policies.  One of the critical considerations in these policies is reflecting a more diverse workforce and ensuring that underrepresented populations are competing on a leveled field. There are many approaches to doing this including:

Adding ‘bona fides’ in cultural knowledge and experience to the scoring rubrics

Including ‘lived experience’ in a culture or protected ground

Behavioral interviews

In behavioral interviews, many hiring teams are looking for individuals who are able to apply their philosophies in school settings and can demonstrate that application through explicit examples. This opens up the opportunity for one to highlight emotional intelligence skills, decision making processes and frameworks, conflict resolution skills and a chance for candidates to highlight their abilities in story.  This contributes to more equitable decision making than a ‘checklist’ of established norms and look fors, which can often be influenced by white, western-centric norms.

Research and review your Board's current hiring policy for teachers.  Comment on any of the three equity centric approaches discussed above, or others that you notice. In what ways does it support Human Rights and Employment legislation in Ontario?

Next: One critical way of preparing for these types of interviews is to reflect on your experiences while realizing your philosophy in action. Provide a recent example of when you realized your philosophy into action. Be sure to include how your example aligns with either the Public or Catholic Vision, Mission, BIPSA and Ministry priorities to which you are applying.

Consider a story that is an explicit example of your leadership philosophy in action.

As previously discussed (and outlined in the MFIPPA), please remove all identifying factors as you compose."

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As per discussion, 

"At a private board, while overseas, many of our candidates are interviewed online. It has been discussed before about asking candidates about presenting videos of teaching moments/exemplars with contextual lessons/lesson plans prepared, however there is a a lot of difficulty and concern with doing this, especially with the complexities of the COVID-19 situations. 

Moving forward from COVID-19, we are currently opening the opportunities for candidates who are already within China to come in personally for the interview and have an opportunity to walk into a classroom and observe for context. Thereby after, if they like what they see, they may prepare to come in for a lesson demonstration 35-40 minutes.

This is something that is sensitive and in the works, the most difficult part about it, is that many candidates are coming from overseas, further to difficult the situation is that we are looking specifically for OCT certifed/certifable teachers. Usually this is a very difficult criteria piece to meet.

In the 'international curriculum' program, it seems as though this is something done a 'lesson demo' in a classroom of familiarity. I have not been apart of this process thus far, but considering the context of the situations to teacher's areas of interest, focus and story-telling through interviews is still very much what is done in the current situation.

In one immediate identifier, I know I am upholding the vision of the school with regards to a particular area of school vision, 'Our students are recognized and respected as unique individuals, and their successes reflect our own dedication to providing a high quality, well-rounded education. At the* Academy, we remain committed to our students, our parents, and our philosophy'. In a situation, a student in one stream had worked with a student in another stream (new to the class) who had been fortunate enough to find themselves in an opportunity that allows them to demonstrate their abilities in an area that required more aptitude to their English proficiency in written venacular. In the progression through the task comments are made by the afformentioned student who had been working together with the student who had been fortunate enough to move into another stream. The comments encompassed discrimination towards an assumed previous learning experience of the student who was new to the class. Comments were made verbal and aloud in which others who could speak the same language were capable of identifying what transpired. No initial upset or disruption was made because of the way it was said, 'condsending and bias' were the descriptors given when I inquired. Thereafter investigating, inquiring and note-taking, we established a zone of discussion, to reinforce the need for positive communication where in which we revisited our established classroom norms and evaluated where misconceptions/bias may have originated and have been working towards a path of growth from the situation mindfully without further publicizing the students involved. 

I believe that in my reach as a lead teacher, I am continually establishing these norms between teachers and their classrooms by reinforcing the need to be mindful of the cultural relevance and response needed as a teacher in an overseas classroom. In the way of moderation, we here in particular at our school have not established an official policy of moderation or alignment among teachers, but we are first modeling and surveying the local epistemologies with the that of our expectations of learning environments to find a ground of commonality to establish such policy. This applies from the basic needs for transparency between students, teachers, parents and homeroom teachers on a general level to the respect of needed time for teachers to unplug from the office. Previously discussed was the right to unplug mandate by the Ontario government as included in Employment Standards Act 2022. We have initiated written policy for teachers to have the right to turn off notifications to communications that are outside the realm of 'working hours' as they pertain to concerns from outside of the scope of periods of time in which immediate contact must be made with regards to administrative follow-up on student academic documentation."

PQP Part II-Module 5-3b) (Assessment and Metrics of Success)

As per course, 

 EQAO has been the standard by which Schools measure their achievement progress in Ontario since 1996. It is used to construct both School Improvement Goals and Board Improvement plans and often drives the focus of professional development in Boards and Schools.

In 2020, and again in 2021 there were no EQAO scores to guide, specifically Elementary schools. EQAO has now shifted all of its assessments to digital, online environments.  Other large scale data assessments may or have been cancelled as well. Given the absence of large scale standardized assessment data, schools and Boards must now find new ways to measure student achievement.

Sandra Herbst, a Manitoba educator and author, explains that for assessment and evaluation to be reliable and valid, three types of assessment must be used:

-Products

-Observations

-Conversations

And these must be collected over time. She terms this 'triangulated evidence' (Herbst & Davies,2016).

Reflect on the changing realities of EQAO.  In what ways might this affect the reliability and narrative the data tells? Consider the reading by Caillou and Wesley-Esquimaux and Street Data chapters and discuss what types of evidence may be collected in your school and how it will be aggregated in order to gain a clear picture of school achievement and needs.

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As per discussion, 

PQP Part II-Module 5-3 (Assessment and Metrics of Success)

 As per course, 

EQAO has been the standard by which Schools measure their achievement progress in Ontario since 1996. It is used to construct both School Improvement Goals and Board Improvement plans and often drives the focus of professional development in Boards and Schools.

In 2020, and again in 2021 there were no EQAO scores to guide, specifically Elementary schools. EQAO has now shifted all of its assessments to digital, online environments.  Other large scale data assessments may or have been cancelled as well. Given the absence of large scale standardized assessment data, schools and Boards must now find new ways to measure student achievement.

Sandra Herbst, a Manitoba educator and author, explains that for assessment and evaluation to be reliable and valid, three types of assessment must be used:

-Products

-Observations

-Conversations

And these must be collected over time. She terms this 'triangulated evidence' (Herbst & Davies,2016).

Reflect on the changing realities of EQAO.  In what ways might this affect the reliability and narrative the data tells? Consider the reading by Caillou and Wesley-Esquimaux and Street Data chapters and discuss what types of evidence may be collected in your school and how it will be aggregated in order to gain a clear picture of school achievement and needs.

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As per discussion, Reflecting on my practicum for principal qualifications parts 1 and 2, it is very much a point of discussion. After reading Caillou and Wesley-Esquimax, Chapter 2 of "A Wise Practices Approach"(2010), it seems that the measurements need to account for the ways of learning that recognize first nations perspectives and ways of knwoing. This strongly reinforces what I am trying to accomplish with my practicum, on a very loosely worded level, I am trying to ensure that the students who enter our program (with their varying degrees of exposure to English language), are not only heard when they have concerns with regards to their learning, but presented with learning opportunities conducive to an engaging language learning environment of which is not solely localized in their English Literature Studies or English U. Prep classes while still holding culturaal relevance. Although the OSSLT may not impact a student's grade directly, it becomes a question of the data's relevance and reliability of students who participate.

Having much time spent reading "Street-Data: " (2021), in particular the focus in this discussion is of Chapter 3-4, "Flip the Dashboard" and "Digging into the Levels of Data". From "Flip the Dasboard" chapter, the representation of student work should not be quantatative as it reinforces product based assessment, This is problematic for the simple reason that it reinforces the ideas of knowledge based criteria catering to the assessor and not the student assessed. For accurate representation of student success, qualitative data is collected within the OSSLT but many not feel complete or honest due to the context in which it is collected and the context missing from the data if observed from outside of the population of collected data this sentiment is echoed with the term use, systemic oppresion with Chapter 4 "Digging into the Levels of Data".

Finally, considering my experiences, the readings I believe that after seeing the EQAO's OSSLT process up close many times and participating in it as much as I have, the data that is being accessed through its use is important, however with regards to reliability though it is a question begs one to discuss the use of the information. The OSSLT closely resembles a number of other assessments across Canada, one I have had personal experience with is the literacy test that BC still utilizes (which does account for a small percecntage of a student's grade, 12% if I recall correctly) and its predecessor(s); another would be the testing in New Brunswick that the EQAO remesbles more closely now, it takes place online as well and contains sections of testing very comparable to the OSSLT. Two areas of noticable difference with regards to New Brunswick to Ontario is that the ELPA (English Language Proficiency Test) is administered at Grade Levels 9, 11, and 12. Furthermore there is department of early childhood education that collects, oversees and distributes the data/results. I digress, the reason the question is varying in its application is because on one hand if it is used to measure students' individual and actual capabilities it will always be unreliable unless interperted by the classroom teacher which is generally how BC's testing was (maybe still is). Without the EQAO having a distinct impact on a student's marks directly, it is something that some may not try as hard to demonstrate their best work on which makes it very much a test that is made to identify pass/fails rather than actually access students particular abilities in varying degrees of application which is a core difference between classroom work and this test. I understand this difference as something that can be characterized through the understanding of the Culminating Task that counts towards the 10% of the student's grade and the exam (in most university prepatory courses) that accounts for 20% in order to finally determine impromptu abilities with potential scenarios. With that being said, the data defines a student has pass or fail after the literacy test is taken, numerated and broken down for closer examination on a larger scale but yet localized to the school itself which in many cases could be further examined by the school's departmental faculty/staff. On the otherhand, with the amount of testing done in New Brunswick, it could be interesting to compare the language testing data for reliability there compared to that of the data collected from the OSSLT, and ultimately it becomes a question of "would more assessment lead to more reliability as believed with the triangulation of data?" Even with that being said there is still the question of the type of data collected conversation, observation and product. I would conclude then that the data produced by the completion of the EQAO is important and reliable in regards to being understood as a voicing tool for the whole population, and a measurement tool for educators to align focus with regards to at-risk or underserviced populations if utilized correctly, but to say it is a direct reflection of each specific student's abilities, no, it is not reliable enough to predict the perceivable grade of a student as the tasks are limiting to student standarization. 

PQP Part II-Module/Assignment 5-1 (Data Informed Professional Learning)

View the following Video on Creating a Collaborative Learning Culture

The Learning Exchange's Beginning to Create A Collaborative Learning Culture

Read: Chapter 4 Pound the Pavement: Digging into the Levels of Data in Street Data, by Shane Safir & Jamila Dugan (2021)

The Professional Learning Framework for the Teaching Profession

Review:

Principals as Co-learners: Supporting the Promise of Collaborative Inquiry

 Actions and Interactions Framework for Professional Learning

Discussion and Assignment 4:

For this task, you are encouraged to work in groups of 2-4 people. It is expected that you collaborate on either module 4.2 or 5.1, or both. It is expected that you will meet synchronously and also collaborate asynchronously on this task. If you would like to work alone for this assignment, you must collaborate for the other assignment. Earlier, you reviewed your school data set to set a SMART goal for the year. Using the same data set, design a professional learning task for the coming cycle. Include resources, questions, activities, success criteria etc. that you might use with your school staff. Be sure to consider shifting the gaze in data to equity and shifting mindsets.  If you are coming from a Catholic lens, be sure to include faith-based lens and connections to curriculum. 

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Presentation Outline: Consider the Numbers

Brief

Students progress has hypothetically been released and the administrative team has put the data together, maybe the data is better than expected, maybe it is meeting expectations, or maybe its below our expectations. As an administrative team, we recognize the perceived length of our goal and need to recognize that in any case there is a need to commit and see it through, so in this hypothetical situation, the data would be reflecting a below expectations result in which maybe 20% of students passed the OSSLT. We need to, as a staff, reflect on the practices we contributed to the effort and perceive next steps.

Introduction

Insert land acknowledgment. Emphasis on the appreciation for the study towards furthering us as guests and family in the indigenous ways of not only within the scope of the land, but among fellow visitors as well to promote a healthy meeting point. 

'To practice teaching in Southern Ontario (specifically Niagara Region), I recognize that I may be teaching on treaty land as per the “Two Row Wampum 1613” and Treaty 381 (1781). It is generosity of the Anishnaabe (Ontario.ca, 2018), Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, and Mississauga of The Credit Nation (Niagararegion.ca, 2022) that would be to thank for allowing me to practice my profession as an educator on this land. In the name of the shared teachings, blessings and goals as a community, I declare that my classroom and professional learning uphold four basic principles modeled from the Medicine Wheel Framework adapted into UNESCO’s Pillars of Education (2016), Learning to be, Learning to know, Learning to do and Learning to relate. As an educator of Ontario I will put forward my best practice of the Growing Success Document to reflect the needs, conversations and observations of students best and most recent work as this model is an equitable model that not only allows for culturally responsive classroom experiences but reflects the First Nations principles of Learning in three general ways, A holistic approach to measuring learning that occurs, the understanding that there are more domains and sources for knowledge than in a book or on a website and that learning is a lifelong journey in which one continually moves forward in with each lived experience (2009). '

The principal should have a protocol or SAFE space protocol (in particular), prepared for a meeting such as "Courageous Conversations".

"In this particular learning, we will be developing questions that we need to consider in order to collect the numbers needed to identify what we can do to improve. Once we have the data, we can then uncover what we need to reimagine and then collaborate on how to move forward (Street Data: A Next Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy and School Transofrmation, Dugan and Safir 2021)" 

"As educators, what are the surface level questions we have for our students with regards to their performance on the OSSLT?".

*Educators will brainstorm generic questions based on student scores (as a general population) using the data from the OSSLT* These questions will be on a larger board or included into a "jam board".

Identifying our Own Bias-During

Have staff members breakout into departments and brainstorm why they think students may not be recieving teh literacy efforts as effectively as planned originally by the department,

Each group should then reflect on the following excerpt.

'Ways of knowing of interest to the Theory and activism of Critical Social Justice specifically include those that they deem to have been unjustly excluded or marginalized. These include tradition, superstition, storytelling, and emotion. They are considered to have been excluded by white, Western men who established their own (typically Eurocentric, white, and/or masculinist) ways of knowing—like science, reason, logic, and empiricism (see also, master’s tools). Because white, Western men had the power to do so, they have unfairly privileged these approaches and imposed them upon other cultures (see also, colonialism). They did so failing to realize that they’re also just cultural products, while rationalizing them as more valid, more correct, and methodologically stronger than others (see also, meritocracy, positivism, objectivity, white science, white empiricism, reality, and internalized dominance). People (in the West and who have adopted methods from the West – see also, colonialism) are believed to have been socialized by the dominant forces of society (not rigor or utility) to accept that these “cultural products” are in fact superior to others, according to Theory. In some sense, this understanding arises from cultural relativism, but it also has roots in both postmodern Theory and other critical theories. These, respectively, see knowledges wholly as cultural products (see also, Foucauldian, episteme, power-knowledge, racial knowledge, truth, realities, and reality) and intrinsically caught up in issues of justice and injustice (see also, epistemic injustice, epistemic oppression, and epistemic violence).

Critical Social Justice wants to reverse this state of affairs and forward these “other” (marginalized and excluded) ways of knowing. The usual claim from advocates of Critical Social Justice is that knowledge as we generally conceive of it is merely a cultural product of powerful white, Western men, who then systematically exclude other ways of knowing outside of their own cultural tradition. The demand is to make room for and advance these “other ways of knowing” either by expanding the available set of “shared epistemic resources” (e.g., by engaging in cultural sensitivity, cultural humility, racial humility, cultural relativism, cultural responsiveness, and shutting up and listening), in order to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion, or by “decolonizing” the existing knowledge system, its canon, its literature, and its canon (see also, research justice). That is, the claim in Critical Social Justice is that a sort of knowledge equity is necessary to remake the system (see also, revolution), and the way to do this is to include and advance “other ways of knowing” that have been excluded from white, Western, male thought.'

In groups, take from this the idea of what is "knowledge, myth, and opinion."

Ontario Ministry Curriuclum document Snapshots (Curriculum Expectations discussion)

Can your department scope and acknolwedge areas of learning that may seem out of place for students or unfamiliar to students?

If not, the department would be asked to look at their student population (principal will need to prepare these in advance, yes it would take time to organize), and ask, of the populations included, how many of them recognize what they learn/how they learn it as something that they can appreciate as a part of their identity?

Referring back to the surface level questions that teachers have for students, ask teachers to reflect on what more SPECIFIC questions could come from those general questions-as each group of educators to take on one question and record the specific questions that come up as well as how they expect students to answer them, (scalar response, open response, etc.)

The principal needs to note again, this is a courageous conversation in many respects and putting oneself on the spot is the point of it, in some cases, the princpial may feel better about stepping out into the light about the topic first.

Measuring Achievement-Consolidation

Departments will coordinate through gallery-walks from one to the other and eliminate questions that are repeated. In some cases, educators may want to add a question and that is greatly appreciated.

The principal will be circulating and documenting questions in a live forms sheet documenting key questions from the departments.

 As teachers, the closing reflection is going to be the consideration that you were OR were NOT given when you were a student preparing for the OSSLT, consider the remarks of some staff you may have interacted with AS A STUDENT who may have noted the lack of consequence for failing the test.

Storientation-Next Steps

The next step for the staff would be interviewing students and or parents who they are responsible for in this semester and interviewing to discover what some difficulties for the student may be, how these challenges may have been overcome in the past.

Source List:

Street Data: A Next Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy and School Transformation, Dugan and Safir 2021

Canadian Council on Learning. The State of Aboriginal Learning in Canada: A Holistic Approach to Measuring Success. Ottawa, Ontario (2009).

 www.ccl-cca.ca/sal2009.

Lalonde, S. Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia. (2016).

Provincial First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project. Calgary, AB:

Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia.

Ministry of Indigenous Affairs. Map of Ontario’s Indigenous Treaties and Reserves. Ontario.ca 2018

N.K. Singh.  Culturally Appropriate Education Theoretical and Practical Implications.

Niagararegion.ca Indigenous Engagement. 2022

https://www.niagararegion.ca/health/equity/indigenous-engagement.aspx   

Interesting Resource from Hamilton Board (Ontario, Canada) for Prospective Principals

 http://www.schooladvocacy.ca/left_level3/law_policy.html

PQP Part II-Module/Assignment 4-3 (Case Study)

 As per course, 

Read Chapter 2 Analyzing Cases Using the Equity Literacy Framework p. 11 – 20 in Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education by Paul C. Gorski and Seema G. Pothini (2014)

Using the Skills on p. 13 Figure 2.1 and the Equity Literacy Case Analysis Framework on p. 14 to complete the Case Study Analysis. 

Read Case 3.4: High Expectations or Unrealistic Goals? P. 29 – 31

Prepare notes on the following to utilize in our discussion which will occur in the Zoom Session.

Use the Questions on p. 31 and discussion on p. 130 to help guide your response.  Consider the following as well: What biases and ‘single stories’ are evident throughout the case? How is the deficit narrative evidenced in comments and resources (school staff, university staff etc.)? What school practices, structures, and policies reinforce these deficit narratives? What systemic policies, procedures, and structures reinforce them? How does this case highlight the difference between opportunity and access? As a Principal in what ways can you work to disrupt or dismantle the structures, policies, practices, and mind-sets that contribute to those deficit narratives, biases, and stereotypes?

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As per discussion, 

An Investigation in Case 3.4 from Gorski and Pothini

Introduction:

As a actor accessing the role played of Principal by myself, I am drawing understanding from provided questions listed in p.29-31 Paul C. Gorski and Seema G. Pothini (2014), with regards to the teacher’s (Ms. Sutter’s) decision to take the students on an unprepared guide of a college; the teacher’s responsibility in offering equitable experiences in educational practice and the potential for a teachable moment with keeping the dignity and integrity of all students intact.

Step 1: Identifying the Problem

Before amounting the concerns with regards to case 3.4 High Expectations or Unrealistic Goals? the following will need to be understood, teachers are not sole proprietors in the approval process of a field trip, from the beginning (in all school boards) principals are included in the planning and approval process of a field trip. In this case the case’s focus is on systemic prejudice. In the case that this comes for review, it could be understood that through the understanding of “securing accountability” in the Ontario Leadership Framework (2013), the principal holds even more responsibility than the teacher (minus immediate student care insinuated by the Education Act, 1990). Although, the university may have its prejudicial standards and beliefs systemically built into the processes carried out by the admissions (as demonstrated through the dialogue by the Director of Admissions), there is a matter of fact that the teacher has not been to the institution beforehand to examine what would be worth noting for her students nor had the principal followed up with the teacher to ensure that the teacher had a plan in place in the event of a situation in which something like this had occurred, or her familiarity with the school itself. As an initial question a principal may ask “Why did you choose this university in particular?” Then following up with questions that allow the principal to see if there were purposeful connections being made between the learning and/or experiences of the students and this field trip. The reason this may come up as an essential portion of perspective is because although the teacher may have been trying to act equitable, the teacher may not have actually reflected with the considerations of her students’ personal learning, location and financial situations in mind. In an example, a student in Toronto who is seeking the opportunity to study in a Medical Sciences program may not benefit from a trip to Brock University located in St. Cathrines, but would much rather benefit from a university tour of University of Toronto. Furthermore having been on a college road-trip myself, I know that sometimes its not a university campus tour of the campus itself really, but the experiential learning opportunities that a perspective student can have through sit-ins and “meets” with various deans or professors. Personally reflecting on my experiences at Lakehead and at Nipissing, Ryerson, etc. After reviewing the case, I have identified approximately 3 problems, these problems stem with a core issue in communication, but the fault can certainly be divided equally. Speaking to the issue of equity, the teacher is expected to follow-up with a plan of action co-created alongside the principal.

Step 2: Taking Stock of Varying Perspectives

First of all, from the perspective of the other stakeholders (the university and its staff visited, parents, and students), they may feel the teacher failed to communicate with the university that they were interested in visiting. Most (if not all) school boards have policies field trips, after reading policies from York Region District School Board (2022) and Catholic District school Board of Eastern Ontario (2020) these are policies that are aligned with the Safe Schools Act. This stresses the need for alignment with the Education Act. For someone outside of the classroom and unfamiliar with the student’s particular needs, the teacher should be able to understand that it would be important to make a point of organizing this field trip through manner that ensures there is opportunity for both the school visited and people visiting to make accommodations. In doing this the teacher would be able to give a detailed and accurate representation of the trip to not only the student’s guardian(s) and the Principal but the university being visited as well. The university could then prepare a tour guide that is suitable for an audience that is in 5th grade (as well as on a field trip). In personal experiences, having been a tour guide, it can sometimes be overwhelming and stressful as it is sometimes a part of a volunteer arrangement with people who asking varying degrees of questions. The teacher knew prior to the trip that she would be arriving with a group of students. Based on what the director says, “we can’t afford to put  your group ahead of those students”, it seems that the university was not informed of the visit. If the visit was arranged, the university would/should have contacted the teacher in advance to notify them of the unavailability. There could have been more than enough time to make an appropriate judgment call on the part of the teacher. This further questions the teacher’s ability to follow the Ontario Schools-Code of Conduct in the following area, “communicate regularly and meaningfully with parents” (The Ministry of Education, 2022). If the teacher had in fact been communicating with the students’ parents, the teacher would be able to get a much clearer picture of what kind of supports would hypothetically need to be in place for one of their children to be able to afford post-secondary education, this being important to note because one of the goals that the teacher may have in place at the club is various self-inventory activities or literacy building opportunities that allow students to understand how to prepare for various scholarships, or even budgeting savings for that matter.

A second perspective (from the school board), in regards to conduct in this case is that the principal is a stakeholder in field trips, some school boards, such as York Region, have gone as far as to outline the responsibilities (section 3) of different roles in the event of a field trip (2022). As a part of the Ontario Leadership Framework (2013), the Principal is expected to secure accountability, which basically means, ensure there is an understanding of where people are, what they are doing and for how long they will be there. The approval process of the field trip goes well beyond the principal, but it is certainly the principal being the second line of query that would raise questions. If the teacher had embellished, lied or defrauded the process in someway, this would be a much more serious matter than as it is currently situated. As a principal as well, one should consider previous alumni from that university who may be within the school community that may be of assistance in enriching the experience of the students.

Lastly a potentially well-mannered, level-headed principal who wants to ensure that the teacher is not being disciplined for misplaced negligence may believe, as a school board, it is important to report in each investigation in regards to violations of The Ontario Human Rights’ Code (1962) and ask that the OHRC examine the case closely on behalf of the students, parents and teachers of the school board. It is integral that in this case, the principal and teacher both recognize that this systemic intolerance of the group is in need of desperate attention, taking a look at The Ontario Human Rights Code, a human in Ontario will observe the following, “Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to services, goods and facilities, without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability” (1962). The principal may go as far as to expect the teacher to demonstrate their efforts and understanding of the situation’s seriousness by having the teacher file a complaint against the university under violation of The Ontario Human Right’s Code, through the actions and statements logged through the interactions with the Director of Admissions (eee the following website for complaints, https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/filing-claims-discrimination). According to the Human Right’s Code, “Every person has a right to claim and enforce his or her rights under this Act, to institute and participate in proceedings under this Act and to refuse to infringe a right of another person under this Act, without reprisal or threat of reprisal for so doing” (1962), not only meaning that people of this school, race or situation in general should take action to be represented appropriate and free of prejudice, but to do so in confidence that they should not expect to be penalized by these actions that safe-guard their human rights. In many cases there may be perceived concern that students who come from this school board may be treated with more bias if their board has lodged a civil suit against them.

In regards to public perspective, the immediate issue of awareness and observance by the classroom teacher who took the student’s on the field trip, (however unforeseen circumstances may have been) would be willing to say this is a teachable moment that can be understood by the teacher after this first experience. In another light, this article outlining systemic racism in Canada’s Nursing Schools are reported through University Affairs News Reciprocal (https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/canadas-nursing-programs-address-racial-prejudice-in-the-profession/) in 2021. The racism being brought to mind is not only in part part of Canada but across the country and not just with regards to the applications of perspective students who are admitted to programs but the very curricular content learned. What the teacher in Case 3.4 is doing may be of good nature and intention but may if not well-organized could be ill planned and setting up a group of students for discouragement rather than opportunity.

Step 3: Consider Possible Challenges and Opportunities

In regards to challenges, the teacher would need to account for the potentiality that not all students may feel they are university bound, let alone aware of the implications of university versus college. The teacher should also note that in cases where parents/guardians did not attend university themselves, it does not need to solely mean that the families are under privileged, in many cases very successful people study in College for the matter of fact that university doesn’t offer the hands on programming or practical experience in the field needed to become a builder, botanist or radiology technician. 

Step 4: Imagine Equitable Outcomes

If the teacher calls the principal, for advice on what to do next, it could be suggested that the students take an opportunity to check out the library, and sports facilities. In more happenstance scenarios, the principal may even know of the university themselves and be able to come out there out of an emergency support for this situation and have a teacher in charge at the school for the duration of the field trip. 

Realistically, the teacher should consider the population’s demographics and try to create prior learning experiences that create depth to the experience so it is not just a matter of showing up and seeing a building or beautiful campus. Students may be able to even set up an opportunity to meet with a student at the university who had been their school for a duration of time as a student. 

In reality, the school should not have turned the students away so nonchalantly, but endorses and appreciated the opportunity to build an itch for knowledge and excellence in perspective students. 

Step 5: Brainstorm Immediate-Term Responses

Finally, the reason as a school we will stand together to face the reality of this miscommunication, “Education providers violate the Code where they directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally infringe the Code, or where they authorize, tolerate or adopt behaviour that is contrary to the Code.” This statement implicates many parties involved which is why I, as a school leader firmly believe. Reasonable accessibility to facilities that are a part of the learning experience are included in this. The teacher will file a report and/or complaint with the municipal government, as well as the Ontario government outlining the incident and issues raised on behalf of the school community. This report will be copied for the principal’s investigation. This will determine the sincerity of the teacher’s mistake in communication.

Step 6: Brainstorm Longer-Term Policy and Practice Adjustments

In the end, the principal will need to likely clarify the field-trip process and parent notification procedures to ensure a more transparent communication between all parties as well as proof of prior communication with the field trip hosts/venue.

Additionally, policies regarding student potentiality and generalizations will need to be addressed through a whole staff sensitivity training. Equity vs. Equality workshops/learning modules may be a first step, but creating more community outreach between parents and teachers to reflect the good intention efforts of the teacher who took the students on the field trip.

Step 7: Craft a Plan of Action

After the field trip, regardless of which way the teacher landed on the decision making process, to change the trip’s itinerary or have the student in need of accommodation observe a film, the teacher would need to prganize the PLC task as described in “Step 6”. This plan would come to application within the PLC within the span of a month, if not sooner.

The principal will need to connect with the university to offer them an opportunity to speak to the story given by the teacher who took the students on the field trip as a part of this investigation.

This would be a task that the teacher is expected to meet regularly with the principal about the group club content (within the realm of office hours, where the teacher may have other tasks to assume), the principal would log PLC time in with that teacher specifically to offer recognition for their dedication to reassure the school community that the school and its staff have student equity and meaningful learning/experience in mind. This one on one PLC time would allow the teacher to draw attention, reference and focus on different policies (or the lack thereof-in potentiality of a hypothetical).

After reviewing the documents, the teacher would need to create a PLC resource for presentation purposes on field trips that the school’s PLC may also invite parents to (potentially). 

If not possible to invite parents to the PLC presentation on field trips with the other presenters present, the principal may decide to make the PLC available for PTA review or hold another sitting in which the teacher is requested out of expression of dedication to the school community and student inclusivity policies of the school board, to present at a PTA meeting. The idea of making this PLC opportunity available to parents would be to keep parents informed as a level of query that helps align teachers with the concerns of all stakeholders in the school community.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, as a principal, this case has been reviewed through case study framework and through the investigation it is clear that this is not a common error in judgement by the school administration or teacher, but through people communicating from a distance. 

Ultimately, the school leadership and school board feel this will be an excellent opportunity for all teachers to participate in a field trip protocol PLC experience coming up, as implied through Ontario Schools – Code of Conduct, “develop effective intervention strategies and respond to all infractions related to the standards for respect, civility, responsible citizenship, and safety; ” (2022). This is expected to be run in part with the professional development resources available from the school board (on policy) and with the classroom teacher on shared field trip protocol experience as the school is excited to promote equitable experiential learning. To outright discipline this initial and unforeseeable offence would ultimately be detrimental to the development of the learning community that will support and improve on student standards, teacher reception/perspective of students and this particular teacher’s excellent methods in teaching in accordance with K–12 School Effectiveness Framework (2013) “6.3 The school and community build partnerships to enhance learning opportunities for students.” *This is presumed by myself as an actor in the role of this hypothetical case.

Works Cited

B1:4 School Operations – Field Trips Educational Field Trips. Jan. 2020, www.cdsbeo.on.ca/policies/B4-1_Field_Trips.pdf.

Education Act, RSO 1990, c E.2, <https://canlii.ca/t/55np9> retrieved on 2022-11-01

Gorski, Paul, and Seema Pothini. Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2018.

Human Rights Code, RSO 1990, c H.19, <https://canlii.ca/t/5574j> retrieved on 2022-11-01

“Ontario’s Code of Conduct for the Education Sector: Parent’s Guide.” ontario.ca, 2022, www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-code-conduct-education-sector-parents-guide.

The Institute for Education Leadership. The Ontario Leadership Framework. Ontario, 2013, www.education-leadership-ontario.ca/application/files/8814/9452/4183/Ontario_Leadership_Framework_OLF.pdf. 

The Ontario Ministry of Education. School Effectiveness Framework. The Queen’s Printer, 2013, files.ontario.ca/edu-school-effectiveness-framework-2013-en-2022-01-13.pdf. 

York Region School District Board. Accessibility Policy 407. 2020, www.yrdsb.ca/boarddocs/Documents/PP-accessibilitystandardsforcustomerservice-407.pdf.

York Region School District Board. Accessibility Policy 642. 2022, http://www.yrdsb.ca/boarddocs/Documents/PP-fieldtrips-642.pdf 

PQP Part II-Module/Assignment 4-4 (Principal’s Legislative Duties as an Employer)

 As per course, 

Read, Explore and Review the following legislation.

Ontario Labour Relations Act

Ontario Employment Standards

Ontario Human Rights Code

The Education Act

As a Principal, you are an Instructional Leader, Manager and Employer.  Each role has distinctive and sometimes conflicting purposes.  Principals are required to adhere to the same Employment legislation as employers outside the education sector.  In schools there can be as many as 6 to 8 different Unions and collective agreements.

Discussion:

Comment on the Unions and collective agreements within your school setting. Where can you access the applicable collective agreements within your Board? Reflect on the Employment standards and relevant legislation and discuss potential conflicts of interest and priorities.  How might you as a Principal accomplish the vision and goals of the school, while maintaining standards and adhering to contracts? Share experiences, omitting names and identifying information.

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As per discussion, 

PQP Part II-Module/Assignment 4-1 (Efficient Administrative Practices)

 As Per Course, 

"Welcome to Education Finance!

As a school leader, it is important to understand the funding structure of the Ministry and how money is distributed to Boards and allocated according to student needs. (Warning, this can be dry material if you are not already interested in numbers! But, it is one of the many things that can create significant issues later.) It is good to have the system and provincial prospective as you consider your instructional leader role through the lens of accountability and education finance.

Familiarize yourself with this Ministry of Education web page: https://www.ontario.ca/page/education-funding-2022-23

Be sure to skim the Grants for Student Needs Funding Memo.

Then please comment on the following:

As a school leader, how would you ensure that administrative practices and budget responsibilities align with the Ministry's funding structure yet are reflective of the Board Improvement Plan, personal School Improvement Plan and are reflective of the School Effectiveness Framework? What opportunities are there for supporting equity within your school/school board? Describe the process you would use to prioritize use of funds in your school."

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As per discussion, 

"The idea of being a leader who needs to run financial point for a school that could be over 1000 members in the building at anytime (more when considering school stakeholders) is terrifyingly interesting to me. I feel budget is that one point in the Principal's decision-making process that can sometimes make or break the beginning of another year. Not to state the obvious, but its difficult to give everyone what they want. Granted, I think as people have likely mentioned, it is integral that the vision of the school is realized, discussed and prepared for at the end of each year (before september, discuss what ideas of the school's vision shall remain and what shall change for the incoming year-when you have a consistant staff). Over the summer it give time for reflection, connection and preparation of what may come. Furthermore, as a leader it is important to establish that recieving funds in general is expected to be received as a good thing, and even though a group may expect to see it used here, if there is no way to allocate there responsibily or in an equitable manner, then it needs to be realized that there is a grand underappreciation for what is happening, maybe this vision didn't account for the voices OR maybe individuals invovled in the vision's realization didn't reflect as hard on the vision as they needed to. As a principal it is first and foremost of the process, to have your vision created by/with your staff;  from there, the process shall lead to an actualization of programs and initiatives that pre-exist versus those that call for start-up funds; in the event that the vision and these initiatives do not align a principal needs to take inventory of the school and weigh the allocations of human resources vs. funding; the third step of the process is to establish an inventory of what is needed from an observational level and take stock on what is preceived as needed on the operational level by those leading the initiatives. Finally, through this process, perspective taking, and inventory, the principal SHOULD be mostly confident with the allocations they provide. In the event there is a disagreement with the decisions, principals should reflect on the following components of The School Effectiveness Framework (2013) as base decision drivers.

Indicator 4.1: A culture of high expectations supports the belief that all students can learn, progress and achieve.

Indicator 4.2 A clear emphasis on high levels of achievement in literacy and numeracy is evident throughout the school.

Indicator 4.3 Teaching and learning in the 21st Century is collaborative, innovative and creative within a global context.

Indicator 4.7 Timely and tiered interventions, supported by a team approach, respond to individual student learning needs and well-being.

(Please note, there are many that can be applied, but these ones spoke to me more or less because of the perspective I am holding within my current role and position as well as SIP).

This being for the simple reason that the Ministry of Education's five-point plan is reflecting a focus point on the following areas:

Area 2-Creating student strength in base literacy skills in mathematics as well as accessibility of texts (B02, 2022)

Area 3-Student's wellness as mentally vulnerable individual and their ability to overcome challenges to mental wellness (B02, 2022)

Area 4-The use and establishment of learning opportunities outside the class provided by thrid-party education groups. (B02, 2022)

These focus areas are very clearly applicable to many different faucets available to teacher and student resource development within the school community. As a principal our budget decisions best reflect (firstly), the stakeholders (in the most equitable manner possible) and local-epistemologies, the ministry of education's five point plan, and the school effectiveness framework as our anchor in that/those decision(s).

To conclude, the opportunities that currently befall our school in the way of equity are those in the areas of ESL. To be frank many of our students are English language learners, however there is a great deal of ability that gapes between the students. The material should remain consistent to avoid students trying to play the system to their own benefit, but teachers need to reflect on the goals and principles of Growing Success. Using this, teachers and staff are expected to keep in mind that we can apply various learning resources and assistive tools; in some cases we need to apply for funding. My wife being the ESL course Lead Teacher actually was able to allocate funding for the program "THINK", for my English department, we are working hard to create things in house and develop depth for varying levels of differentiation to take place while still reaching learning goals in a hollistic manner."