Page 19 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | Canadian and World Studies

Teachers
Teachers and students have complementary responsibilities. Teachers develop appropriate instructional strategies to help students achieve the curriculum expectations, as well
as appropriate methods for assessing and evaluating student learning. Teachers bring enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing different student needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student. Teachers reflect on the results of the learning opportunities they provide, and make adjustments to them as necessary to help every student achieve the curriculum expectations to the best of their ability.
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, 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.
Canadian and world studies teachers can help students understand that applying specific inquiry processes when studying geography, history, and civics (politics) often requires
a considerable expenditure of time and energy and a good deal of perseverance. Teachers can also encourage students to explore a range of 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.
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 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.
INTRODUCTION
17