Page 22 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies
Using a variety of instructional, assessment, and evaluation strategies, teachers provide numerous opportunities for students to develop and refine their critical-thinking, problem- solving, and communication skills, as they apply the concepts of disciplinary thinking to the content of the Canadian and world studies courses. The activities offered should give students opportunities to relate their knowledge and skills to the social, environmental, political, and economic conditions and concerns of the world in which they live. Such opportunities will motivate students to participate in their communities as responsible and engaged citizens and to become lifelong learners.
Teachers can help students understand that applying the subject-specific inquiry processes in Canadian and world studies often requires a considerable expenditure of time and energy and a good deal of perseverance. Teachers can also encourage students to explore alternative solutions and to take the risks necessary to become successful problem solvers and investigators. To enable students to feel comfortable and confident in the classroom and to support them in approaching their inquiries with openness and creativity, it is important that teachers create a learning environment that will foster a sense of community, where all students feel included and appreciated and where their perspectives are treated with respect. One way to accomplish this is for teachers to select topics, resources, and examples that reflect the diversity in the classroom, and, where possible, to involve students in this selection process.
Canadian and world studies teachers provide students with frequent opportunities to practise their skills and apply new learning and, through regular and varied assessment, give them the specific feedback they need in order to further develop and refine their skills. By assigning tasks that promote the development of higher-order thinking skills, teachers also help students become thoughtful, creative, and effective communicators. Opportunities to relate knowledge and skills developed in Canadian and world studies to wider contexts, both across the curriculum and in the world beyond the school, motivate students to learn and to become lifelong learners.
As part of effective teaching practice, teachers communicate with parents about what their children are learning. This communication occurs through the sharing of course outlines, ongoing formal and informal conversations, curriculum events, and other means of regular communication, such as newsletters, website postings, and blogs. Communication enables parents to work in partnership with the school, promoting discussion, follow-up at home, and student learning in a family context. Stronger connections between the home and the school support student learning and achievement.
Principals
The principal works in partnership with teachers and parents to ensure that each student has access to the best possible educational experience. To support student learning, principals ensure that the Ontario curriculum is being properly implemented in all classrooms using a variety of instructional approaches. They also ensure that appropriate resources are made available for teachers and students. To enhance teaching and learning in all subjects, including Canadian and world studies, principals promote learning teams and work with teachers to facilitate their participation in professional development activities. Principals are also responsible for ensuring that every student who has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is receiving the modifications and/or accommodations described in his or her plan – in other words, for ensuring that the IEP is properly developed, implemented, and monitored.
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