Learning Opportunities

Target Audience: Gr 9-12 teachers, educational assistants, administrators and guidance cousellors are encouraged to attend.

Canada’s reputation as an immigrant-accepting nation is longstanding. However, despite our successes, many newcomers to Canada struggle with the non-academic elements of the education system. Our systems and expectations are not universal, and assumptions not shared between students and school staff can cause confusion, stress, and upset. 

Through the Settlement Workers in Schools program, we find ourselves supporting children and families as they ask: 

• What are credits, and why doesn’t my child have enough of them? 
• Why do I have to log in to an online system to learn about how my child is doing (and how on earth can I do that if I don’t have a computer)?
• Why is plagiarism bad? Don't you want the answers from the textbook?
• My teachers keep telling me to do a trade-- what is a trade? 

In this session, we will explore the experience of students and families in the Canadian K-12 education system, particularly high school, and what teachers can do to support their newcomer students to success.