Page 16 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Cooperative Education

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Cooperative Education
their knowledge and skills developed through cooperative education to the social, cultural, 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.
Cooperative education teachers provide students with frequent opportunities to practise their skills and reflect upon and apply their learning. Through regular and varied assess- ment, they give students the specific, descriptive feedback they need in order to further their learning and refine their skills. Teachers also help students understand that learning and skill development often require a considerable expenditure of time and energy and
a good deal of perseverance. In cooperative education, teachers encourage students to explore alternative solutions and to take appropriate risks to become successful problem solvers. By assigning tasks that promote the development of higher-order thinking skills, teachers also help students develop the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind required for effective education and career/life planning.
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, the Student’s Cooperative Education Learning Plan (see pages 24–26), 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 home and school support student learning, achievement, and well-being.
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 and learning environments 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 cooperative education, 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 their plan – in other words, for ensuring that the IEP is properly developed, implemented, and monitored.
Principals are responsible for ensuring that up-to-date copies of the outlines of all of the courses of study for courses offered at the school are retained on file. These outlines must be available for parents and students to examine. Parents of students under the age of eighteen are entitled to information on course content since they are required to approve their child’s choice of courses, and adult students need this information to help them choose their courses.
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