The City of Kitchener is the largest city in Waterloo Region in the province of Ontario, the third fasting growing region in Canada, yet it has only one air quality monitoring station. Our research group launched a pilot project in September 2020 to install a network of AQMesh multisensor mini air quality monitoring stations (pods) near elementary…

This study explored the use of Indigenous storytelling in the planning and teaching of mathematical content. In collaboration with Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, a culturally inclusive mathematical lesson was developed, implemented, and reviewed in an elementary school in Northern Ontario. This study used a culturally authentic approach…

Teacher preparation for generalist (non-specialist) elementary teachers in Ontario typically comprises one compulsory music class. In entry surveys, many generalists describe themselves as highly apprehensive about and unconfident in their ability to teach music, confirming previous research. Using narrative inquiry, we explore the stories of both…

This study explores elementary teacher and administrator perspectives related to mathematics specialty teachers in elementary schools, in a jurisdiction, where such roles were known by researchers to not be used. Mathematics specialty teachers are those teachers that have specialized training in both mathematics content and pedagogy. Online…

Objective: Sleep deprivation is common among children and schools are ideal settings in which to influence children's sleep. Children spend a significant amount of time at school during key developmental periods, and programmes that influence students' well-being also benefit academic achievement. Comprehensive School Health (CSH) is an approach…

Background: Concussion public policies have been developed to address the burden of concussions. The aim of the present study was to examine implementation compliance, barriers, and facilitators of Canada's first concussion public policy, Ontario's Policy/Program Memorandum 158: School Board Policies on Concussion (PPM158). Methods: An electronic…

In order to trouble the rhetoric of caring spaces like home that are taken for granted in schools, I consider how the western neoliberal subject remains tethered to normalcy in ways that sustain practices of conditional inclusion. My aim is to persist in questioning normalcy, while also endeavouring to reimagine distinctly different relational…

In this article, the relatively new phenomenon of integrating coding and computer science (CS) related concepts and skills into the K-8 grades is analysed through a comparative analysis of related provincial curriculum initiatives in Canada. First, provincial K-8 curricula that include coding and CS related concepts and skills are identified, as…

This paper examines the interplay of creativity, education, and the expressive arts. We begin by presenting a narrative literature review focusing on the use of artistic tools to promote creativity, self-expressiveness, and meaningful aspects of emotional and social learning. This review reveals strong connections between the different components…

Using the example of the 1937 Ontario elementary school reforms, this article will make the case for considering pedagogical knowledge as a distinct object in the history of education. In this context, pedagogical knowledge refers to the conceptual and normative aspects of teaching and learning that seek to inform the decision-making of the…

Smart Board Technologies (SBTs) are prevalent in K-6 schools and teachers are expected to use them to enhance student learning. The Smart Board (SB) may not be used effectively in the classroom. The effective use of the SB increases student engagement and performance. To ensure the effective use of the SB, the principal's role is crucial. The…

This narrative inquiry explores personal and professional stories of two educators, nurtured and supported by their school leadership, in a rural school setting, who have had diverse experiences with the contemplative practice of mindfulness. Our research primarily focused on the following wonders: How does the experience of mindfulness practice…

Principal succession is an inevitable phenomenon in school systems. Given the relevance of principal succession for leadership quality and school improvement, there has been a lack of research in recent decades that has synthesized principal succession. This study aims to review the literature from 2003 to 2019 on principal succession in schools.…

Why do society and the courts so readily recognize university and college teachers' academic freedom but just as readily deny primary and secondary school teachers the same right? To investigate this question, this article considers teachers' work in light of the standard justifications for granting academic freedom in higher education: that…

Purpose: Decades of research in educational leadership has extolled the importance of principals in both the effective functioning of teachers and the overall performance of schools. The mechanisms explaining what makes principals effective in the eyes of teachers, however, are not well known. This study builds on prior research to posit that…