Page 10 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 (revised)

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | science
Teachers
Teachers are responsible for developing 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 assess- ment approaches to the classroom, addressing individual students’ needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student.
Using a variety of instructional, assessment, and evaluation strategies, teachers provide numerous hands-on opportunities for students to develop and refine their investigation skills, including their problem-solving skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and communication skills, while discovering fundamental concepts through inquiry, explora- tion, observation, and research. The activities offered should enable students to relate and apply these concepts to the social, environmental, and economic conditions and concerns of the world in which they live. Opportunities to relate knowledge and skills to these wider contexts will motivate students to learn in a meaningful way and to become life- long learners.
Teachers need to help students understand that problem solving of any kind often requires a considerable expenditure of time and energy and a good deal of perseverance. Teachers also need to encourage students to investigate, to reason, to explore alternative solutions, and to take the risks necessary to become successful problem solvers.
Science can play a key role in shaping students’ views about life and learning. Science exists in a broader social and economic context. It is affected by the values and choices of individuals, businesses, and governments and, in turn, has a significant impact on society and the environment. Teachers must provide opportunities for students to develop habits of mind appropriate for meaningful work in science, including a commitment to accuracy, precision, and integrity in observation; respect for evidence; adherence to safety procedures; and respect for living things and the environment.
Teachers are also responsible for ensuring the safety of students during classroom activities and for encouraging and motivating students to assume responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. They must also ensure that students acquire the knowledge and skills needed for safe participation in science activities.
Principals
The principal works in partnership with teachers and parents to ensure that each student has access to the best possible educational experience. The principal is also a community builder who creates an environment that is welcoming to all, and who ensures that all members of the school community are kept well informed.
To support student learning, principals ensure that the Ontario curriculum is being properly implemented in all classrooms through the use of a variety of instructional approaches and that appropriate resources are made available for teachers and students. To enhance teach- ing and student learning in all subjects, including science, principals promote learning teams and work with teachers to facilitate teacher participation in professional develop- ment activities. Principals are 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, that the IEP is properly developed, imple- mented, and monitored.