As an Ontario teacher-candidate, I recognize and appreciate the diverse populations present in the school system including immigrants, black and racialized individuals, low income families, individuals with physical and mental disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQ2+, and the residents of the Indigenous nations present on this land and elsewhere. For this reason, it is my belief that equity remains central to effective and ethical pedagogy. Through my practicum experiences, I was given the opportunity to learn a variety of methods to support students of diverse classrooms from multiple Professional Development speakers experienced in education roles involving such populations, and teach special needs and neurodivergent students firsthand. Below I have highlighted some of the most essential knowledge that I learned and intend to apply in my teaching practices:
- Fostering relationships with students and making a conscious efforts to learn about their lives and interests is essential to recognizing any equity they may in need of and making their academic experience as positive and effective as it can be. This will also help teachers better help students who "misbehave" and understand the potential triggers that might be playing a role, such as challenges in school or their home life, or an unfulfilled equity need.
- Multiple resources exist to support varied populations. These include the Welcome Centres present within the Toronto District School Board and the Peel District school board to provide support and literacy tests for newcomer families, the ESL program for students who are in the process of learning English as a new language, the LEAP program for students who may have recently come from countries or backgrounds where their education was significantly limited or interrupted, Individual Learning Plans for students who may require specialized education for diverse reasons, and the counselling services available at all Ontario secondary schools, among others. It is important that teachers remain updated and knowledgeable of the resources available for the diverse populations they will be teaching as the needs and desires of every student they interact with will vary.
- In addition to maintaining the practice of presenting personalized land acknowledgements every day, teachers must make an effort to include Indigenous perspectives and information in the regular curriculum on a regular basis. It is necessary that teachers do not present Indigenous communities as outside of "mainstream society", but as a significant part of the home we all share. In addition, teachers should make sure to share content regarding Indigenous communities that do not solely present them as victims of cultural and physical genocide, but also as complex cultures that possess distinct and sophisticated ways of life. Examples of such content includes Indigenous pre-contact history, Indigenous social activism, Indigenous spirituality, and Indigenous cross-cultural practices.
- In addition to fostering relationship with students, it is necessary that teachers also make a conscious effort to reach out to parents and guardians and build relationships with them, as parental involvement is an important factor in student academic success, and overall student wellbeing. This can be done in various ways including the facilitation of pizza parties, open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and other kinds of special events. In situations where a teacher may not be able to bring a parent into the classroom as a result of factors such as a parent's busy work schedule or language barriers, teachers should be accommodating. If an in-person conference cannot take place because of the parent's work schedule, the teacher should consider calling the parent directly during a time they are free instead. If a language barrier is present, the teacher may find it useful to obtain a translator from their employer or community to help facilitate communication during the meeting.
- Teachers must also perform a conscious initiative to continuously educate themselves on equity issues, and be conscious of their own implicit biases towards students of varied ethnic backgrounds, orientations, life situations, and illnesses. No one individual can be completely impartial from subconscious programmings, but awareness of one's mental state is the first step towards becoming more equitable in one's treatment of others.