Teaching Archives - News@91��ɫ

School attendance is a relationship issue, Faculty of Education interim dean says

egamulin — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:51:18 +0000

Faculty of Education Interim Dean Sarah Barrett

Sept. 11, 2026, TORONTO – While there is a lot of focus right now in Ontario on attendance rules, testing and scores, 91��ɫ Faculty of Education Interim Dean and Professor Sarah Barrett says that none of this will work without a focus on what is core to teaching, which is relationships.

How fundamental this is was made especially clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, when relationships between teachers, students, parents and even the government were particularly strained, a topic Barrett explores in her book . Available open-access online as a free PDF download, Barrett interviews 50 teachers and surveys hundreds more for the book. What emerges are stories where remote learning became a disembodied experience that weakened peer and teacher-student bonds, further marginalizing students who may have already felt like they didn’t belong, says Barrett.

“When relationships break down, that's when students have major attendance issues. If it's not about health, or being a high-performing athlete, it's about being bullied, feeling like teachers don’t care or parents feeling like their child is not being seen,” says Barrett. “Recent government changes can be beneficial, but none of them will work for the most vulnerable students unless we prioritize and protect relationships in schools.”

Barrett is available to talk to media about:

Why strong relationships are a core need of teaching
Why students who struggle the most in classrooms are the most affected when relationships break down
The importance of in-person connections in classrooms to build relationships and community
How policies regarding classroom size, testing and more can either help or hinder teachers looking to build strong relationships in the classroom and beyond
Relational struggles in classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons for contemporary pedagogy

More Faculty of Education experts can be found here

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91��ɫ's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. 91��ɫ’s new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028 (subject to accreditation). 91��ɫ was recently named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the 14th consecutive year. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Should parents teach their kids at home during COVID-19 school closures?

roshanp — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 13:11:06 +0000

91��ɫ educator available to explain how to encourage learning while stressed

TORONTO, April 15, 2020 – Tomorrow is the one-month anniversary of Ontario's elementary school closures due to March Break and the COVID-19 pandemic, creating high anxiety for parents trying to teach their kids at home while juggling work and childcare.

, an assistant professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education, says many parents and educators are struggling with the shift to teacher-led online learning, and while we can’t expect parents to take on the role of teachers, we also have to change our expectations of teachers.

Some parents are helping their kids adjust to online learning which began last week, plus managing their household and the stress from working at home, she says. That stress is multiplied for parents who are essential workers, who are living in poverty, who have been laid off from their jobs and are worrying about food insecurity and paying their mounting bills.

“We are asking too much of parents and teachers and we need to pull back on what the expectations are for children learning at home,” said Shah, a former Toronto District School Board teacher who used to teach primary, junior and intermediate��classes.

“This is a time of tremendous fear and trauma,” she says. “As best as they can, parents are encouraged to connect with their children, focus on their social and emotional well-being and ask them how they’re doing.”

COVID-19 has changed life as we know it, with self-isolation being the new reality, so our approach to education has to adapt too, she says.

“Learning doesn’t happen because of a perfect, pre-packaged lesson,” says Shah. “Learning is happening everywhere and all the time – in the kitchen when you’re cooking, when you’re going for a walk and in conversation with your children about what’s happening on TV.”

“We as educators need to take the pressure off of parents who feel like they have to teach their children,” says Shah, who now teaches classes for prospective teachers. “We also need to recognize the tremendous work that teachers are doing in this time while navigating their own families, challenges and realities.”

With the new online learning at home, parents need to assess whether it’s supporting or hurting their children. For elementary students who need routines to feel safe and connected to the larger world, formal learning tasks make sense, explains Shah. But if schoolwork becomes overwhelming for kids and is damaging to their social, emotional or academic well-being, parents should feel empowered to let their teachers know, and ask for adjustments to deadlines and workload, she says.

Shah, an education expert on issues of equity and justice, says families living in poverty, many of which are racialized, are especially vulnerable in an environment of online learning.

“The current approach to online learning will exacerbate the inequities that have always existed in schooling systems and will inevitably create new inequities for children,” she says, citing the examples of varying access to a quiet work space, family stress, and lack of WiFi and technology access.

Shah is encouraging educators to focus on relationships (continuing to build deep connections with their students), student-led inquiry (encouraging students to ask questions based on their interests and engage in critical thinking to seek thoughtful answers to their questions), self-reflection (inviting students to reflect on their thoughts and feelings during these times) ��and structure (creating routines that help make students feel safe).

She can comment on:

The best ways to support elementary school children in their at-home learning
How to encourage kids to ask questions to foster learning opportunities
Why it’s important for parents to focus more on their kids’ social and emotional well-being and less on education during stressful times
How online learning has worsened inequities for populations of marginalized and racialized children

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452,��vthomps@yorku.ca

Find out more about how 91��ɫ is creating positive change in the COVID-19 pandemic��.

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Avoiding learning overload for kids during COVID-19 school closures

roshanp — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 12:48:40 +0000

91��ɫ experts available to discuss how parents can survive March Break ��

TORONTO, March 19, 2020 – Parents should avoid intense teaching sessions with their children who are at home on an extended March Break due to the COVID-19 global pandemic that shut down schools.

That's the advice of two 91��ɫ educators who are urging parents of elementary school children to find a balance between allowing their kids to enjoy quality time with their families and incorporating some learning into their daily lives.

It's normal for kids to cherish their March Break, as they should, so it’s important for parents to resist the temptation to start boot-camp-style lessons at the dinner table and add more stress to an already stressful situation.

91��ɫ’s experts are available to explain the best ways for parents to infuse light learning into their kids’ routine and survive March Break together.

is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education who develops programs in public elementary schools, based in the Greater Toronto Area, that foster dialogue between families and schools and within families themselves. Ippolito has led research on how to keep the lines of communication open between children and their parents.

He can share tips to incorporate some learning and survive the break, including:

Encourage kids to be inquisitive, share their questions and observations, and meet them where they are in their learning, instead of where you think they should be
Remind them that they have time to catch up on their school assignments or homework
Encourage children to explore non-school projects
Allow kids to keep in touch with their friends online

is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education who teaches mathematics education courses to current and prospective teachers. Rapke has conducted extensive research on strategies to enhance the learning and teaching of mathematics, and also leads a program in a GTA-based school to address parental concerns about math education and develop practical strategies to help students learn basic arithmetic.

She can share tips to incorporate some learning and survive the break, including:

Slow down and enjoy time with their children, and connect with them by listening
Play board games and write stories together
Play short math games and do mental math together. Talk about time (e.g. how long kids are off from school compared to summer break), and ask kids to do additions in their head (e.g. find all the ways to solve 12+13), practice division (e.g. share candies equally) and group objects in 5s and 10s.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452,��vthomps@yorku.ca

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