It’s said that there is always a blessing in dark times, and this was it: my chance to share my 1970s childhood with 25 children of 2020.

Musicals form an important part of the arts, serving as powerful resources for student learning, engagement, and motivation.

This collaboration between the Library Learning Commons, a Grade 9 math teacher, and Indigenous Education blossomed into a beautiful place-conscious learning opportunity.

I started my teaching career at a public middle school in Toronto about two decades ago. At that time, I was not comfortable being personally out to my students.

I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that rules without relationships lead to rebellion. Yet today, relationships with students seem to be feared instead of embraced. Over the years, quite by accident, I have discovered that this precept from days gone by is critical to classroom rules and to learning itself. Relationships are an essential part of learning, especially relationships between teachers and students.

Throughout the decade I have spent working in education, I’ve seen the most positive impact when I’ve incorporated hope-based strategies into my teaching.

Over the years, our ELL students have eagerly shared stories about an important festival that falls over spring break: Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

By harnessing the power of music, teachers can create a lively and dynamic atmosphere that also improves concentration, focus, and retention.

Students need to be allowed outside more often, and beyond just the playground—especially in areas where schools are the only green space.