Robert Savage, dean of the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ, is leading research that asks a deceptively simple question: What actually helps children learn to read – and how early can schools intervene to make a lasting difference?

Years of experience as a school teacher and psychologist have framed his thinking about research, which since 2023 has focused on how children learn to read, both typically and atypically.

His research has also informed literacy policy and classroom practice in Ontario.

For instance, Savage served as a consultant to the Ontario government on its reading curriculum following a 2022 Ontario Human Rights Commission report on human rights issues affecting children with reading disabilities. Drawing on his research expertise and experience in schools, he contributed to the revised curriculum and helped develop supporting videos and scripts to make the changes easier for teachers to understand and incorporate into the classroom.

“I’m always interested in a mix of theory and practice and in how to use theory to develop better programs for developing reading,” he says. “I also like to collaborate.”

During another project, while working with colleagues at Concordia University, he co-created the web-based literacy program  that offers activities for learners and is free to the public.

More recently, with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Max Bell Foundation, Savage and a colleague at the University of Alberta have partnered with school boards in five provinces, including Ontario, to develop new screening tools, assess existing ones and share literacy resources. School boards in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, B.C. and Saskatchewan have used the tools to screen incoming Grade 2 students, assess reading skills, identify areas of concern and implement targeted reading programs to help prevent reading difficulties.

Read the full article in the May 22, 2026 issue of Yfile

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For Molade Osibodu, creating what she calls “liberatory futures” begins in the mathematics classroom.

An associate professor of math education at 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education, Osibodu focuses her research on how Black students experience math and how education systems can better support equity.

“I want Black learners who enter a mathematics classroom to be fully, completely themselves instead of feeling like they don’t belong,” says Osibodu, who is keenly aware of the persistent and unfounded stereotypes about Black learners’ abilities in math – and how those beliefs intersect with Canada’s colonial legacy and history of immigration.

Osibodu’s teaching experience across three continents has fuelled her interest in and passion for addressing challenges faced by Black students in Canada. Before joining 91��ɫ, she taught secondary school mathematics in South Africa and later taught mathematics and mathematics education courses in the U.S. and Canada. Her research has since documented a range of obstacles faced by Black students in Canadian classrooms.

“It’s impossible to look at course syllabi without realizing that it’s important for equity to be at the core of the teaching practice,” she says. “My ultimate goal is to create math education where Black learners are thriving.”

A key aspect of her work is understanding how Black students experience math, which, in Canada, requires knowledge of the population’s demography. As her colleague Carl James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at 91��ɫ, has long emphasized, the Canadian Black community is diverse – including descendants who arrived via the Underground Railroad, families who immigrated from the Caribbean decades ago and more recent immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa – leading to a variety of educational experiences.

Read the full article in the April 10, 2026 issue of Yfile

With files from Elaine Smith

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Growing up in Scarborough, Stephanie Fearon was raised in a community with a rich tradition of Black matriarchal storytelling.

Through oration, folk tales, music, dance and even cooking, mothers have continued to impart cultural knowledge across generations.

It’s no surprise then, that as the inaugural assistant professor of Black thriving and education at 91��ɫ, Fearon wanted to explore the ways Black mothers come together with their children to cultivate leadership and literacy skills within education systems and beyond.

Inspired by her grandmother and grandaunts, who came to Canada from Jamaica in the 1960s with limited access to educational opportunities, Fearon’s research studies how Black mothers use storytelling in community-based literacy programs. 

With an understanding of the barriers these women face in academic research spaces, Fearon was careful to develop a collaborative approach where Black mothers feel valued.

“They’ve complained, lamented, about the extractive nature of the research process,” she says. “And when we look at the histories and the current relationships between researchers in academia and Black communities, it's not positive.”

Fearon centres Black mothers as partners in the research process, grounding her work in respect and co-creation. To honour the cultural significance of storytelling, she uses an arts-informed approach that allows her to reimagine educational research as collaborative and cultural.

Read the full article in the February 6, 2026 issue of Yfile

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A program that would have been unthinkable five years ago is strengthening guidance and connections for students pursuing a career in teaching.

The Faculty of Education’s Alumni Network has launched a pilot mentorship program that pairs alumni with 91��ɫ BEd students to provide career insights and build professional relationships.

“We relaunched the network after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and we are rebuilding,” says Jason Singh, a 2011 91��ɫ graduate and director of education for Medix College’s health care programs, who serves as Chair of the group. “Post-COVID, people want to connect and our objective is to engage them and connect them back to the Faculty and 91��ɫ.”

Read the full story in the December 17, 2025 issue of Yfile

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There aren’t a lot of awards for people in public education. 

So, when 91��ɫ’s Emily Burgis, who has spent most of her career in public education with the 91��ɫ Region District School Board as a teacher, guidance counsellor and curriculum consultant, learned she won an award from the Canadian Society for Education through Art (CSEA), she was thrilled. 

“Teachers don’t often get awards, they usually only see rewards by seeing the impact they have on students,” she says. “To be recognized by an organization outside the system – it’s a real honour.” 

Burgis is a visiting professor in the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ’s Markham and Keele campuses where she applies her knowledge and experience as a teacher, with a focus on education that is grounded in equity and inclusion. 

Read the full article in the November 5, 2025 issue of Yfile.

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Katrina Cain-Griffin was not expecting to find deep connections to the work of James Baldwin, an African American writer and civil rights activist, during a graduate seminar led by Professor Emeritus Warren Crichlow.

The first-year master’s student at 91��ɫ, who grew up in an inner-city area, saw herself in the protagonist of Baldwin’s semi-autobiographical novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain.

“I think this really reflects my own story because I’m the first in my family to pursue post-secondary education and come from a low-income background, much like Baldwin. While Baldwin pursued education independently and I chose the academic route, we both used education as a way to persevere and strive for something greater,” Cain-Griffin says. “Am I meant to be the chosen one? How can anyone truly be the chosen one in their family to break a generational curse?

“He talks about why is there this generational curse which, of course, goes back to systemic racism. And I questioned, how does Baldwin emerge from being the saved one in his family?”  

Crichlow, a retired professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education, designed the seminar to explore the relationship between Baldwin’s life and writing. He returned from recent retirement to honour the centenary of the writer’s birth by teaching this favoured topic.  

“Baldwin’s centenary was coming up, so I proposed the course to the Faculty of Education, and they wholeheartedly supported it,” he says.  

“Resurgence of interest in Baldwin’s work is frequent and is somewhat generational,” Crichlow says. “But we mustn’t forget that the murder of George Floyd prompted a massive return to Baldwin. And the year of his 90th birthday, in 2014, initiated several conferences, symposiums, film series and the founding of The James Baldwin Review, a major academic journal. There’s an abundance of excellent extant scholarship on Baldwin, but the constant proliferation of readings from newly considered optics does amaze one.”  

The seminar’s description indicates its range: “James Baldwin’s writing, to include novels, poetry, essays, plays, children’s book, speeches and interviews, along with his personal experiences in national and international contexts, remains an exemplar of activism for civil rights, social and racial justice and principles of human equality.” 

Crichlow says it was fascinating to see a different generation react to Baldwin, noting this was a first encounter with the author and civil rights activist for some. The seminar offered the opportunity to read, in a concentrated way over the term, and take a deep dive into a number of works, particularly novels, ranging from his first, Go Tell It on The Mountain (1953), to his last, Just Above My Head (1979). Students read several of Baldwin’s autobiographical essays in between to explore how conceptions of self and other relations inform his novels.

“The seminar was structured to foster thinking about the way in which concerns Baldwin articulated in his first novel in 1953 return in the last novel decades later in 1979 but are recirculated in a markedly different manner.” 

The class includes students from across disciplines and many reacted to the material in different ways. Some, for instance, collaborated on a podcast. “They brought a bit of technology into the mix to produce a podcast-like dialogue between themselves and their reading of Baldwin and intercut that with samples of Baldwin’s own voice.” 

Other students were interested in Baldwin’s relationship to music because, as Crichlow explains, so much of Baldwin’s writing is rooted in music, particularly gospel music and the blues. One theatre student in the class concentrated on Baldwin’s work as a playwright to deepen their understanding around issues of performance in educational practice. Another student, steeped in the humanities, explored points of contact between Baldwin and the 19th century theologian and philosopher Søren Kirkegaard.  

“The range of interests was variously broad. I would never have thought of this particular intersection,” Crichlow says.  

Aida Mohammadi, a student in Crichlow’s class, was inspired to enrol after learning the course included reading several fictional pieces, as she had been looking for a chance to read more novels. She initially approached the class out of curiosity, but it profoundly changed her perspective on literature.  

“I consider Baldwin in everything now, everything I read, everything I see, any social conflict today, whether in a movie or real life, I wonder what Baldwin would think, what he would say,” Mohammadi says.  

The course also opened her eyes to the power of the essay as a literary genre, a form she believes is not as valued in literary studies as it should be.  

“Baldwin showed me the artistry of essays, and I now see them as just as impactful and complex as novels.”  

She praises Crichlow’s thoughtful arrangement of the readings, emphasizing the order in which he assigned them was essential to her understanding of Baldwin’s work. “I found it brilliant.”  

Crichlow has applied to organize panels for students to present their final papers in 91��ɫ’s upcoming Education Graduate Student Conference and may plan future conference opportunities. He intends to continue working with the 14 students enrolled in the course, regardless.  

“I will follow up on insights from their own reading and research that I hadn’t imagined or encountered,” he says. “Indeed, I have certainly learned a lot from these students that will enrich my continued study of James Baldwin.”

With files from Julie Carl

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University students who are studying to become teachers could correctly answer only 60 per cent of the questions on phonics, according to a new survey that highlights how equipped future educators are to teach children how to read. The results, shared with The Globe and Mail, showed that the student teachers could answer 64 per cent of questions on phonological awareness, which is the ability to identify and manipulate the speech sounds in language.

Robert Savage, the dean of the faculty of education at 91��ɫ, weighed in on the survey. Savage says the results show a structural issue across institutions. “If teachers know only 60 per cent of the correct responses, then they can only teach with 60 per cent accuracy to their students at best. So, it clearly does have impacts,” he said.

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Rachelle Campigotto, a course director in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education, is helping facilitate community placement experiences for aspiring educators that combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience and realities that will better prepare students for their future careers.

Abdel Esack can’t help but smile when he talks about the practical experience portion of 91��ɫ’s educational studies program, which he did with Generation One, an after-school program for at-risk youth near the 91��ɫ Keele Campus.

“It brought me back to my roots,” says the mature 91��ɫ student who was once a high-school teacher working with underprivileged youth in his native country of Trinidad.

Similarly, Generation Chosen found him working with boys, age 12 to 18, in a program that combined academics with basketball. A lot of roughhousing could break out sometimes among the teenagers, and how with hands-on experience versus those with just (to-date) theoretical knowledge stood out to Esack, who was familiar with roughhousing from his experiences in Trinidad.

“What was interesting was that when the adults, mainly us from 91��ɫ,  saw the roughhousing, a lot of them were more inclined to stop it or try to intervene, whereas the counsellors didn’t. They let it play out,” Esack says, recognizing that reaction – letting it play out and sort itself – comes from an experience-gained understanding of the value in “stepping back, observing, being non-judgmental.” It showed Esack and the other students when to apply theories they learned in the classroom and when to step back, a great example of the power of hands-on experience.

Andrew Hammond, a Bachelor of Education student, learned the same lesson, but in a different way, in his community placement with Big Brothers Big Sisters in 91��ɫ Region.

Hammond mentored three boys in the program: a Grade 8 child and two Grade 6 children. Every week, he met with each child individually to listen to their needs and determine how he would meet them. That included offering academic support and helping to build confidence.

“Going into it, I had a lot of the theory and a lot of the things I’d learned from my classes. The pedagogical frameworks we’ve learned guided and supported me into this community placement,” says Hammond, whose goal is to be a high school teacher. “It all helped me understand that what we’ve learned in class can apply in real-life situations, in real-life contexts.”

“There are students who are dealing with challenges and struggles that are not in a textbook or in a lesson. This is real life,” Hammond says. “It gave me the opportunity to experience firsthand, think of things on the spot, and be mindful of making decisions.”

Campigotto, contract faculty in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education, is looking to facilitate. A lot of effort by the community practicum office goes into finding appropriate community placements for her third-year educational studies students, she says.

For many of Campigotto’s students, that placement is their first experience working with children, often at-risk children.

“A lot of what my role is is facilitating their learning experience outside the classroom,” she says. “I do things like thinking about making a personal charter or goal setting chart and saying [to the student] ‘You can’t just go to your community, put in the hours and be like, ‘I’m done. I did it.’ We have to sit down even before you go and ask, ‘What is this community? What are the goals of this community placement?’

The importance of teachers “knowing” their students’ community – that third space, she says – can not be overstressed, notes Campigotto.

“We can’t know our students if we don’t know the community they’re from,” she says. “The more aware you are of the community where your students go after school, where they go to learn, what their family is connected to either through religion or culture, the more that influences the way we understand our students and informs our teaching.”

For many students, that knowledge – often only gained through experience – can be life and perspective changing. “I have had students say to me, ‘I worked with this community, and at first, I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t too sure about it. Until I was there and realized, ‘Oh, my goodness, these kids were hilarious. They were so fun. I had the best time, and I learned so much,’” Campigotto recounts.

She believes realizations like that are important for students to experience and for her to help them succeed in their future pedagogical careers – whatever that may look like. “A lot of them want to be teachers, but many of them will go into different educational-focused careers like curriculum development, community work, museums,” Campigotto says. “My role is for [students] to take that experience and think about how it makes sense for their future in education.”

With files by Julie Carl.

This article was originally published on October 17, 2024, on YFile.

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Three 91��ɫ faculty members will be recognized during the 2024 Spring Convocation ceremonies with President’s University-Wide Teaching Awards for enhancing quality of learning and demonstrating innovation and excellence in teaching.

This year’s President’s University-Wide Teaching Award recipients – selected by the 91��ɫ Senate – are representative of three categories: full-time faculty with 10 or more years of teaching experience; full-time faculty with less than 10 years of experience; and contract and adjunct faculty.

Each winner will not only be recognized during a convocation ceremony this spring but will have their name engraved on the University-Wide Teaching Awards plaques displayed in Vari Hall on the Keele Campus.

This year’s recipients are:

Full-time tenured faculty with 10 or more years of full-time teaching experience

Danielle Robinson, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD)

Robinson received the award in recognition of her ability to create an interdisciplinary learning environment where students from diverse academic backgrounds can work collaboratively and approach problems from contrasting directions. That ability has, in part, been channelled into her leadership around the Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4) initiative, an experiential education opportunity for students that allows them approach real-world challenges with social impact in interdisciplinary ways. 

“In my collaboration with Danielle, I find her a passionate advocate for our students, excellent at organization, caring and interested in those she works with and one of the most hard-working colleagues I know,” said Robinson’s nominator, Professor Franz Newland, a C4 co-founder and co-academic lead. “She achieves this with a sense of fun, recognizing its importance when doing hard work. I believe she is an irreplaceable asset to 91��ɫ.”

Robinson has been the recipient of several other awards, including the Dean’s Teaching Award for Junior Faculty (from AMPD), and the Airbus and Global Engineering Dean’s Council’s Diversity Award.

Full-time faculty with less than 10 years of teaching experience

Vidya Shah, Faculty of Education

Shah received the award for her collaborative approach to pedagogy, which looks to honour students’ voices and recognize their needs, interests and agency – often by incorporating their views into the content of her courses. The award also acknowledges Shah’s ongoing efforts to address inequities within the larger academic community, often through inspiring a rethinking of practices in the areas of racial and social justice, as well as teaching and learning.

Her nominator, Myrtle Sodhi, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education, said of Shah, “Her ability to support a large number of students who are under-represented through various stages of their academic career speaks to Dr. Shah’s commitment to student learning, mentorship and social change.” She added: “Dr. Shah’s research, teaching, collaboration and mentorship has changed the landscape of the 91��ɫ academic community in profound ways. She continues to inspire leadership, social justice action and academic pathways.”

Shah is also the recipient of the Faculty of Education Graduate Teaching Award. In 2022, she was awarded the Leaders and Legends Award for Mentor of the Year by the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education.

Contract and adjunct faculty

Heather Lynn Garrett, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

Garrett was honoured in recognition of her her ability to engage with and motivate her students, incorporating story, anecdote, music and various media to bring course material to life. She has provided valuable mentorship to students in her program, notably through her support of the Sociology Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA). She has served as a faculty mentor of SUSA’s annual Falling in Love with Research project, guiding students in conduction sociological research on a topic chosen by SUSA members.

Garrett has twice received the John O’Neill Award for Teaching Excellence by the Department of Sociology, and has been nominated for the Ian Greene Award for Teaching Excellence.

Article originally published in the June 18, 2024 issue of

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Lesley Wilton, an assistant professor at 91��ɫ who specializes in integrating technology into learning, said teaching AI skills will be an important aspect of future classes, especially in light of limitations.

A big mistake is bias. Programs like ChatGPT rely on existing information online, and as there are fewer records on a topic like Aboriginal history, AI could help to further erase certain voices.

“We want our students to understand that these tools exist but to think critically about them because the answers we receive from an application like ChatGPT may not reflect our community, our culture, they may not once true,” said Dr. Wilton.

Dr. Wilton also said that while ChatGPT could be used to cheat on short essays without detection, it will further push educators to develop other types of tasks, such as B. Digital or video presentations that focus on a student’s ability to summarize the wealth of information available online.

Read the full article (originally published in the Globe & Mail) on the .

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