Stay connected with your school board to see what specific training and Professional Development opportunities are available. Alternatively, click the links below to navigate resources that support Professional Development:

Assessment for Learning

EdX – Teaching Strategies Courses

EdX – Teacher Training Courses 

​TVO Coding in the Classroom

Kids Code Jeunesse

Effective Computational Thinking and Coding Instruction

Ontario Educators - This resource offers a highly curated collection of resources selected by Ontario educators for Ontario educators. This resource includes Ontario Ministry of Education professional development resources and quick links to all subject association websites.

• Capacity Building Series - "The Capacity Building Series was produced by Ontario's 'Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat' to support leadership and instructional effectiveness in Ontario schools. It was published from 2007 to 2018."

• What Works? - This resource is a research-into-practice series that was produced by a partnership between the former Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat (of the Ontario Ministry of Education) and the Ontario Association of Deans of Education. It offers a variety of informative reads that are designed to support educators with difficulties they may face in the classroom.

• Ideas into Action - "Published by the Ministry of Education (2012-2017) to support Ontario’s school and system leaders. It is designed to provide research insights and practical strategies for school and system leadership." 

• In Conversation - "a series of papers developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education in partnership with interviewed scholars, to support school and system leaders across Ontario. The papers contain thought-provoking and stimulating ideas on the strategic and topical issues that matter most to Ontario's education leaders and are intended as a springboard for professional dialogue and learning. It was published from 2008 to 2018."

• ALERT (Adolescent Literacy: Engaging Research and Teaching) - This resource provides educators with monographs (a detailed written study of a single specialized subject or an aspect of it), funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. ALERT provides readers the opportunity to explore topics that support the teaching of adolescent literacy. The articles were published between 2013 to 2018 and include topics like background knowledge, collaboration, inferring during reading, making connections, and many more. 

• De-streaming - "A curated collection of resources aimed at articulating why de-streaming is not only a good thing for students, but an ethical imperative." It includes a comprehensive list of questions and answers about de-streaming as well as a list of links and resources. This resource also includes a list of various research conducted on de-streaming which helps educators recognize why there is a push for de-streaming.

International Dyslexia Association Ontario (IDA Ontario) - "We recognize the transformative power educators can have for students with dyslexia; we offer structured literacy webinars, workshops and training courses in French and English." The training courses are free for teacher candidates! 

Canada Learning Code - This resource offers educators in-person workshops, seminars, and live online workshops for educators. The learning experiences offered are free or pay-what-you-can. Their workshops provide hands-on, collaborative and interactive delivery, as well as the support of multiple mentors to assist participants (1:4 mentor-to-participant ratio). The courses are designed for beginners and no hardware is required to participate in virtual sessions. They also offer asynchronous courses to help educators incorporate computer science into their teaching practices including: Heads-up with Microbit, Python for Educators, Creating with CoSpaces, Neural Networks: Introducing you Students to AI, Bugs in out Sequence and Turtle Art with Python.  

Click HERE for direct link to workshops 

Ontario Science Centre: Professional Learning Resources - This resource provides educators with professional learning titles that include: Play-Based Learning,​ Inquiry-Based Learning,​ EDI in STEM Education, Black Youth Thriving in STEM, Gender Inclusion in STEM Classrooms​, The Importance of Indigenous Perspective in STEM, and De-streamed Grade 9 Science. This resource covers current and relevant topics and is offered for free. Each topic is broken into short videos, which include practical tips for the implementation of the strategies and demonstrate classroom examples.

​High-Impact Practices for Math Instruction (WCDSB) - This resource provides educators with a comprehensive, self-directed learning resource focused on: 

• Assessment Practices 

• 2020 Mathematics Curriculum, Grades 1-8

• Math NEWS Updates

• C-R-A: Strategies & Models

• Small-Group Instruction (+ subpage Guided Instruction)

• Non-Routine Problem Solving (+ subpage "M" in steaM Tasks)

• Math Conversations & Number Sense Routines

• Distributed (Spaced) Practice (+ subpage Financial Literacy)

• Leveraging Technology (+ subpage Knowledgehook, Mathology.ca & Brainingcamp.com - an online math manipulative)

• Math-at-Home

​Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace (OECM) (in collaboration with Dell Technologies and Advanced Learning Pathways) - This resource provides educators with free, high-quality professional learning webinars and workshops for educators K-12. The webinars are designed by Ontario educators and offered both in French and in English. They offer training sessions focused on: Coding, Truth and Reconciliation and well-being.

Core Learning - This resources offers educators free, self-directed, research-based professional learning focused on Math, Reading and Writing, Special Education, and EDI/Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. 

Ontario Tech University Continuous Learning: Teaching Math and Coding - Elementary - This resource offers a specialized course that involves eight 2-hour sessions that are aligned with the Ontario curriculum and support teaching mathematics with coding. Educators receive an Ontario Tech University certification upon the successful course completion. This course costs $250CAD +HST.   

OAME: Seven Foundational Principles for Improvement in Mathematics, K12 - This resource provides educators with Mathematics Ministry resources, curriculum, support documents, monographs, as well as videos and other professional development links. The resources links that this site provides are organized by the 7 foundational principles: 

1. Focus on mathematics

2. Coordinate and strengthen mathematics leadership

3. Build understanding of effective math instruction

4. Support collaborative professional learning in mathematics

5. Design a responsive mathematics learning environment

6. Provide assessment and evaluation in mathematics that supports student learning

7. Facilitate access to mathematics learning resources

Let's Talk Science - Committed to preparing Canadian youth for future careers and citizenship demands in a rapidly changing world. This resource provides educators with educational resources, lesson plans that align with the Ontario science curriculum, and offers professional development resources. The PD includes live STEM broadcasts that lead students and model for educators the learning strategies and activities designed to introduce and reinforce STEM concepts. This resource is available in French and English and is free to explore and use as educators need. It is important to PSST that we note that Let's Talk Science was founded and is run by a woman! #WomenInSTEM

Resource 4 Rethinking - This resource was developed to support educators in incorporating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that all UN member states adopted in 2015. This resource provides educators with a wide range of resources to not only achieve Target 4.7, Quality Education, but to explore and act on all 17 goals. It offers links to various resources that educators can utilize to include sustainable learning in their teachings.   

EduGains - Mathematics Professional Learning - Provides lesson plans and support for educators teaching math. EduGain also offers classroom practice tips, home support, and strategies for maintaining student attention. It also provides webcasts, blogs, and many monographs to support educators in cultivating a their best math class. 

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) - This resource provides educators with free access to specific courses with a Public Library Card (e.g. KPL, WPL).  Courses help educators learn new skills and boost their resumes with shareable certificates. Most offered courses are 1-3 hours with topics of interests that include: Diversity and Inclusion, Teaching and Learning, Educational Technology and Critical Thinking. 

Future Learn - This resource offers educators with 300 education and teaching courses. It is very helpful for new educators who feel like they are out of their depth and seeking further educational skill development. Keep in mind that this resource is UK-based and that some content may not be applicable to Canadian educators.

OTF - Survive & Thrive 

​ETFO Occasional Teachers Resource 

Supply Teacher Time Fillers (Twinkl)- This resource is similar to teachers pay teachers as it has plenty of time filler activities that would be beneficial to supply teachers. It is also useful for full-time educators as it has a vast number of free resources which can complement your planned lesson or when looking for fun activities to pass the time. There is a number of free resources, however, some are available for purchase. *Twinkl offers free download weekends every now and then.  

​A-Z of Being an OT - This resource provides a variety of resources that discuss important topics which are sometimes overlooked when talking about occasional teaching. These topics include: health and safety, duty to report, professionalism, coping with stress, health benefits and pensions. This resource is highly useful and insightful new educators.

Special Needs Students: Resources for Occasional Teachers - This resource provides the reader with the perspective of an occasional teacher and their advice on how to support students with special needs as a supply teacher. It can be tough as an OT going into a new classroom and not knowing the needs of all the students. This article is an interesting and highly informative read for all.

Occasional Teacher Collective Agreement - This resource provides new educators and occasional teachers with local contact information for various school boards. This resource is handy as ETFO has taken the time to put this together for new teachers to know their local collective agreement.

Occasional Teacher Survival Guide - This resource provides tips that new educators may find highly useful in preparing for Occasional Teaching. Topics that the guide touch on include: preparing for the teaching day, creating a positive atmosphere, managing the classroom environment and communication with the absent teacher. These are all topics that new teachers and OTs should brush up on before stepping foot into the classroom. This resource was created by the Catholic Teachers Association so be aware of expectations for occasional teaching that apply to you.

What to Pack in Your Supply Teacher Bag - This resource provides tips for what supply teachers should bring with them so that they are prepared for the day. Keep in mind that you may need to make changes to you bag depending on the age group of the students that you are supplying.

Supply Teacher Tips: Do More Than Just Survive - This resource does an important job of highlighting how important supply teaching is while recognizing the reality that there are both good days and there are not-so-good days. It also provides helpful tips to keep in mind as a supply teacher. While this is a good and helpful resource, the document was written in 2001, and could be missing more current and up to date strategies and tools for supply educators. 

​Bouncy Balls Managing Classroom Noise 

Mindful Minute Brain Break Activity 

​Body Break Videos and ​Breathing / Calming Videos - These resources are great way to fill time if needed, to use as a classroom management, or to start establishing classroom routine. Make a copy of the document and keep it for yourself!

The Highly Engaged Classroom - Dr. Marzano - This resource provides educators with tips that have been developed to help keep students engaged. It offers free resources for educators and has a focus on High Reliability Teacher (HRT) and student - teacher relationships. 

20 Student Engagement Strategies for a Captivating Classroom - This resource has easy to identify tips and brief descriptions for each of the engagement strategies. It also provides student assessment recording sheets and a variety of free supports from ‘classroom resources, professional development and much more’. However, there is only a 30 day free trial before you need an account. It does not cover differentiated engagement for students or supports for ELL students.​

Classcraft - This resource provides 10 strategies to keep students engaged within the classroom. It also provides a brief description to support each strategy and recommends resources that you could use for some of the strategies. However, it does not provide strategies for accessibility and multilingual students.

Classdojo - This resource offers ways to document, manage, and boost behaviour, learning, and communication. It helps students stay on track with their behaviour and it is a great way to gamify your classroom. Students can document and display their learning by taking photos, videos, messages or even voice recordings. It fosters student independence as they can share their own work by scanning a QR code. Educators can use as a reward system by providing students or groups with points to motivate students as they complete work. Student and class progress can be reviewed in the reports section.

Planboard - This resources helps with organizing lesson plans, grading, and keeping record of notes and observations. Planboard allows you to upload lesson plans and other resources you will be using. It is a great tool to keep everything you need for daily planning, long term plans, unit plans, and student grades in one place. It can be linked to Google Classroom and is offered in both a free and a paid version available on the AppStore and the Google Play Store. (Previously known as chalkboard now PowerSchool).​​

WorksheetWorks - This resources offers downloadable worksheets in a variety of different subjects. They offer some customizable worksheets, such as writing practice worksheets which allow you to input the text you wish. These are great for practicing spelling words, and working on improving printing and handwriting skills. Also great for occasional teachers as it offers different puzzle worksheets for students.​

​Worksheet Steps - This resource was created by the development team to make it easier for educators to create worksheets for free. We have provided educators with steps on how to make the best possible worksheets for your students.   

Tools for Educators - Downloadable worksheets in a variety of different subjects. It also has many different games that educators can download which are customizable. 

​Worksheet Zone - This resources offers downloadable worksheets in a variety of different subjects including downloadable workbooks and customizable workbooks. Educators can create workbooks for units and never have their students loosing their papers again. They also have an option to make digital interactive worksheets and workbooks to avoid wasting paper.​​

Super Teacher Worksheets - Downloadable worksheets in a variety of different subjects including graphic organizers and reading comprehension worksheets. ​

​Our Planet Educational Resources - This resource offers various educational resources that educators may find helpful as an extra resource occasional teacher, or in supporting science curriculum lessons.

CANSkip - This resource provides a fun break from sports based activities in physical education by providing educators with free resources to help students develop their rope skipping skills. They offer videos that show students how to do different kinds of skip rope jumps and downloadable "progress booklets" that students are eager to progress in. Students are highly engaged in attempting to learn all the different jumps and have some fun in the gym. This resource can be connected to expectations B. Active Living and C. Movement Competence of the Ontario curriculum for Health and Physical Education. CANSkip is a fun way to get all of your students moving and learning new skills independently.

Slidesgo and Slidecarnival - These resource provides pre-made slide templates for many different themes that can be used to make your presentations and work for students more engaging. Not all templates are free, need account to access all. ​

Canva -This resource can be used both by educators and students to create and design visual media. Canva provides free templates and works on both computers and tablets. Requires login to access and some aspects of Canva require paid membership for premium features.​

Flipgrid - This resource provides students with the ability to film themselves presenting assignments, save them and share them with their teacher. Educators have the ability to set up a drop box for the students to submit work. The individual videos students create can be developed into a larger video, allowing student collaboration.

Kahoot! - This resource is a game based learning platform that can be used for assessment and review​. Educators can look at the results and identify where their students are at to stay informed on their students learning and where they need to go. This resource can be a group quiz or individualized, where students can take their time answering questions. It helps motivate students within their learning as it makes learning into a fun and competitive game. It awards higher points to the fastest correct answers.

​Nearpod -This resource provides students with interactive lessons and classroom experiences. It is similar to the google classroom platform. Educators can add any of their pre-made lessons to the site and can create lessons for students that involve virtual reality, simulation, and gamify quizzes. Educators can post videos for students to watch and then add questions throughout where they have to answer the question before moving on. It provides a variety of formative assessment tools and three different teaching modes (live participation, student-paced, and class lesson). However only some activities are free and educators need a paid subscription to have full access. 

Goosechase - This resource fosters interactive experiences and collaboration (like a scavenger hunt/ fun challenges) that get the students activity engaged in the activity. Educators can develop lessons or use suggested templates to adapt the resource to work with their classroom. Teachers can have students live capture findings (taking a picture) or through written response and students gain points as they complete questions. This resource can be used for field trips, outdoor education, school events, or virtual events and has a free basic model (allows up to 5 teams). Educators need a paid subscription in order to have full access/provides educator/school wide pricing.

Education World - This resource helps educators begin the class with a fun fact to grab students attention and warm up.  It can be used in various subject areas and provides educators with different lessons. 

Factile - This is a resource that allows you to make custom jeopardy games that can be used to review a subject before a quiz or as a fun way to consolidate your lesson. Students will actively engage in the review as it is fun and challenging as both a game and a competition.

Gimkit - "Gimkit is a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win. Get started for free!"

Blooket - "Level Up Classroom Engagement! We're matching action with education to create the ultimate learning experience! Welcome to the World of Blooket: a new take on trivia and review games! The way it works is that a teacher/host picks a question set and a unique game mode".

Our Planet - Netflix has made the eight episode series Our Planet available for free on YouTube. This can be used on its own, with the other educational resources posted below, or if you wish to purchase worksheets, a creator on teacher pay teacher has created a series of worksheets that are based on the episodes.

Wild Kratts - This is a fun resource that you could use in a few different ways. The Kratt brothers have created a fun educational show that is highly engaging to young students, this show is better suited to elementary grades. This animated show teaches students about different animals and how they survive. The show usually has some mystery that the Kratt brothers need to solve using the featured animal of the episode. This source can be used in a science class to go along with the curriculum or used during nutrition break to engage the students and keep the noise level down. 

Teachflix - This resource offers a curated collection of videos to use in the classroom. The videos cover various subjects in a wide age range; from elementary to high school. 

Peekaboo Kidz - This resource provides educational animated videos for children. Peekaboo Kidz is highly entertaining and answers questions that students might ask. The videos are produced in a fashion that makes them silly and fun to kids while still being highly educational. This resource has a character named Dr. Binocs that teaches students science in an engaging and attention grabbing manner. It is a great resource to use if the students need an aspect of the science curriculum explained using visuals or as an educational video for nutrition break to engage the students and keep the noise level down. 

Experiential learning is the process of learning by doing.

Primary Games: Experiential Learning Activities For Teaching Children K-8. Sugar, Steve. Sugar, Kim Kostoroski - This resource gives full examples of lessons and games that promote experiential learning. It discusses the importance of play and gamifying elements of education and learning. This resource is aimed more at primary and junior.

Essential Elements of Experiential Learning. Hirsch, Jude. Priest Simon. - This resource explores the 5D process model (Diagnosis, Design, Delivery, Debrief and Departure) and the L.E.T.S. Plan (Logistics, Events, Timing, and Staff). It also focuses on how to implement a successful experiential learning program. This resource utilizes four case studies throughout the book as examples to demonstrate how experiential learning can be implemented successfully. It offers more of an overview on how you can implement an experiential learning program in your learning environment. 

OCTE - Experiential Learning Resources - This resource provides Ontario curriculum based learning materials and education packages for educators. All downloads from this resource are free and offered in both French and English. Explore topics like skilled trades, outdoor learning, and community partnerships. 

​The Experiential Educator: Principles and Practices of Experiential Learning. Kolb, Alice . Kolb, David. - This resource explores concepts of the learning cycle and how to incorporate them into your teaching practice. It focus on teaching students how to be mindful and deliberate in their learning. This book discusses topics such as team building, organization, and individual learning. 

Assessment For Experiential Learning. Chan, Cecilia Ka Yuk - This resource discusses the challenges in assessing experiential learning and offers solutions to the issue. It offers information on how to develop experiential learning environments with assessment in mind. This resource is available online and in print. 

Institute for Experiential Learning - What is Experiential Learning? - This resource provides the reader with an overview of the key elements and philosophies of experiential learning, as well as videos exploring the ideas and philosophy. It is complete with the learning cycle and learning styles used in this educational approach. Keep in mind that this is an overview on the topic of experiential learning. 

Imaginative Ecological Education (IEE) - This provides resources that support teachers in implementing IEE within their classrooms. It also provides cognitive tools that can engage and support students with movement, literacy, and orality. IEE gives educators a brainstorming chart resource that can be used to bring out the emotional meaning of a story. There are tips to support outdoor learning and a resource ‘book list’ that allows students to observe nature outdoors and develop their own book, with prompting topics for their observations (helps students learn about the world around them). It provides different prompts teachers can use to begin outdoor learning (allows students to connect to the land) ​and has a section for frequently asked questions.

​Living Stories About Living Systems - Connected Wisdom - "The Connected Wisdom Teacher’s Guide is designed to guide educators through lesson plans that will explain living systems principles for their students." It provides a breakdown of different topics to do with living system principles so that the educator has a foundation on the topic they are teaching. This guide was designed for teaching students aged 10-18, to be used in primary it needs to be adapted. 

​Connecting The Dots: Key Strategies that Transform Learning for Environmental Education, Citizenship and Sustainability. - This resource provides strategies for teachers to implement outdoor education. The strategies are outlined and clearly identify what will be covered throughout sections. Each section identifies what it is, concept map, why we should use it and how to implement. It emphasizes interconnected learning strategies and provides examples for all grades or a specific grade. 

​Land as Teacher: Understanding Indigenous Land-Based Education. - This resource provides Indigenous perspectives and land-based education. It shares what land-based education is and is not. Land as a Teacher provides information about the importance of language and stories, and discusses the global benefits of Indigenous land-based education. This resource discusses reconciliation connections and provides steps for the future. 

​Dynamic Horizons: A Research and Conceptual Summary of Outdoor Education - This resource connects to curriculum areas, the environment, and well-being. It provides Indigenous perspectives and influence, as well as states the benefits of outdoor education for students. 

Worlds Largest Lesson - This resource provides resources to teach students about the different global goals while promoting the use of sustainable development goals in teaching in order for children to contribute to a better future for all. It has a variety of different lesson ideas to get students to think about environmental impact and changes we can make. The videos provided are filmed using people of all ages, which is engaging for students as they can relate and connect with people their own age. The activities it provides allow students to use their critical thinking strategies. It provides a variety of tools for educators  (i.e. lesson plans, partner work, videos, books, games, projects, quizzes) and the website offers content in 40 different languages. 

​Learning for a Sustainable Future: Outdoor Learning Resources - A Collection of Resources and Artifacts for Teachers - This resources provides educators with a variety of activities for elementary and secondary students.​ It offers general assessment ideas, connects activities to different curriculum areas for specific grades, and provides extensions for activities. 

​EduTopia - 8 Simple Steps to Launching an Outdoor Learning Program - This resource discusses the benefits of outdoor learning and shares 8 tips to getting students outdoors. 

​Outdoor Activities for your Curriculum - This resource discusses the benefits of outdoor education for students and provides ideas and activities for different curriculum areas for outdoor learning. 

​Learning through Landscapes - Outdoor learning Ideas - This resource provides educators with outdoor learning for early years, primary, and secondary students. It gives educators a variety of different resources (activities related to curriculum, videos, blog post, guidance) and extensions for each activity. This resource shares educators risk management ideas for teachers and training for teachers to begin outdoor education. 

The Circular Classroom - The goal of this resource is to incorporate circular thinking for students within the classroom to create a better future and cultivate positive changes. It focuses on 3 main subject areas; moving from the linear to the circular economy, systems and sustainability, design and creativity. It provides teachers with a tool kit for the different subject areas and lesson planning ideas. 

4 Ways to Keep Your Local School Invested in Outdoor Education - This resource provides the reader with different examples and experiences from schools in Canada that take part in outdoor education. It shares 4 ideas to help educators and schools incorporate and invest in outdoor education. It also provides information on outdoor education to educators so that they can maximize outdoor education in their teaching. 

​Take Me Outside - This resource provides educators with information about “Take Me Outside Day” and it shares Indigenous knowledge and perspectives that can be incorporated into teaching. It also provides workshops for teachers and has a variety of resources, including a huge selection of websites that can be used to support outdoor education. 

​The Outdoor Playbook - This resource provides educators with the 4 steps that are needed to get started with outdoor education (learn, play elements, plan, build) and provides different resources for educators within each of the 4 steps. The value of each step in outdoor education is discussed. The resource provides articles which help educators to gain knowledge and perspectives about the different topics (i.e. how to include nature based landscapes into play). 

​Sit Spot - Outdoor Learning For Elementary - This resource provides information of what a “sit spot” is, how to introduce one, and time spent in a “sit spot”. This could be a fun way to get students to be more in-tune with nature and the relationship we have with it. 

Camp Kawartha - This resource is linked to the Ontario curriculum and it offers in person field trips for students. This resource has an entire education guide for grades K-12. This resource is able to be used for cross curricular education as it connects to a variety of subjects like science, history, art and many more. However, this resource does not provide any downloadable programs, it only offers in person trips and these trips require payment for attendance. 

Living Planet @ School - This resource is a program that has been put together by the WWF and it offers over 30 curriculum linked downloadable in class activities that are suitable for grades 3-8. It also offers links to background information, videos and games. 

Messy Maths By Juliet Robertson - Juliet Robertson offers a rich resource of ideas that will inspire you to tap into the endless supply of patterns, textures, colours, and quantities of the outdoors and deepen children’s understanding of math through hands-on experience. 

The Big Book Of Nature Activities - This resource offers educators a comprehensive guide for educators to help youth of all ages explore, appreciate, and connect with the natural world. It has games and activities that are centered in what is happening in nature during each season. This resource also has a list of key species and happenings to observe throughout the year across most of North America. 

OPHEA Outdoor Education Toolkit for Grades K-8 - This resource shares tips to promote a culture of safety-mindedness among students participating in outdoor education activities. It also has a checklist for teachers with key planning considerations before, during, and after the activity. This resource provides educators with conversation starters and reflection activities for teachers to deepen student learning around risk management. The kit also offers full lesson plans for educators. 

Resources Created by The Development Team:

• Long Range Plans - Resource to help with your plan to get everything on track and help organize the school year. Educators can save a copy of the document and create their long range plans with a focus using specific ideas that you wish to cover each month. 

• Classlist with Abbreviations and Pictures - This resource was created to help educators at the start of the year to help learn your students. It has a section where educators can add a picture, nickname, and comments about the students. We have created this resource to make the start of the school year easier and can make it easier for occasional teachers that come into your classroom. 

• Weekly Schedule -  Stay organized throughout the week with this weekly schedule. This resource can be used digitally or can be made into a paper copy. This resource can also be used to take daily annotated notes as this is an easy way to keep you organized and everything in the same place.

• Meet the Teacher - Used to help educators easily introduce themselves to their students and parents. This resource can be used digitally or can be made into a paper copy. We believe that this can be a helpful way to share some information about yourself in a fun way so students and family get to know their teacher and make them feel more comfortable with the new person in their life. 

• Visual Daily Schedule - This resource provides educators with words and pictures to show the everyday schedule, helping students to feel more comfortable and like they have a sense of control. Having pictures of students in the class doing what is expected.

All About Me - This resource is a fun activity to get to know your students, this activity is made for students to be able to share things about themselves at the beginning of the year. This activity allows educators to learn a little about each student so the educator has something to go off of when trying to figure out who their students are as people.   

​Fun First Day of School Activities - This resource gives educators fun ideas to make the first day of school exciting for students and easier for educators. These activities can help students become more comfortable with one another and their new teacher and classroom.  

​Word Cloud - This is a fun resource where students can create word clouds with words that represent them. This can help teachers get to know students and their interests in the beginning of the school year. 

​Ice Breaker Games - This resource provides educators with different ice breakers, which act as a great way to get to know your students and for students to start building relationships with their peers in the class as they start to find common interests! This resource can also be used to pass time and start off the beginning of the year fun! 

​Classroom Procedures Students Should Know - This resource helps educators to create a positive classroom culture, a safer space, and set boundaries and expectations. 

​All About You Activities For the First Day of School - This resource is great for the start of the school year and will help set a tone for fun and engaging activities that will continue throughout the year. This resource provides engaging "get to know you" activities.  

​Growth Mindset Activities - This resource provides educators with ideas for activities to do in the beginning of the year to promote a growth mindset for students. 

​First 20 Days of Math - This resource provides educators with daily math lessons or the first 20 days of school.  These lessons are taught explicitly through Strand A (SEL and the mathematical processes), this allows students and educators start the year right and help to build a positive outlook around math (good for all grade levels). It is a comprehensive guide for educators and provides google slides, available in both French and English. It works to promote collaboration, has hands on activities, and is interactive to get students engages in the learning. This resource is aligned with the Ontario 2020 Math Curriculum. Keep in mind this resource was created by the Simcoe County District School Board.

​First Year Teacher Tips - This resource provides helpful strategies for first year teachers as they prepare for the school year. 

​Beginning Your School Year: It's About the Learners Not the Content - This resource is a good article for new educators that puts an emphasis on the learners, rather than only looking at the curriculum. Instead, it brings up the idea of how we can meet the needs of students when looking at the curriculum. 

Templates for Inquiry Assessments - This resource provides educators with different forms of assessment specifically created for inquiry evaluations. This is a free resources made to encourage educators to bring inquiry based learning into their classroom as there are benefits to incorporating inquiry into learning. These evaluations are more focused on primary grades. 

Observation Worksheets -  This resource provides educators with 5 different types of observation forms to aid in organization and tracking student work/accomplishments.

Backward Design Inquiry Based Learning - This resource shares insight on how to assess inquiry based learning and why it is useful. This is a good read to start with before the school year starts off if you are considering including inquiry based learning in your long range plans. 

Strategies for Formative Assessment - This resource offers educators a number of different ways to conduct formative assessment. While this resource is specific to inquiry based learning, the strategies could be used for any subject with some adjustments. This resources shares how to use these different strategies so new educators can always be prepared and utilize different assessment strategies to keep your students engaged in their learning. 

3 Part Rubric - This is a resource that the development team has created for educators to help make the work load for educators a little easier. Download a copy for yourself and add the expectations, learning goals and anything else needed for your assessments. 

Creating Learning Goals and Success Criteria - This resource gives educators strategies to help them create learning goals and success criteria in student friendly language and makes it digestible for everyone. 

Specific Assessment Tracking Form - This is a resource that the development team has created for educators to help keep track of where the students are on the specific expectations. Download a copy and adjust for your class and their needs. 

Student Checklist -  This is a resources that the development team created to help students stay on track with their work and help them work towards an end product. Useful for subjects that have a written or presentation assessment so that students know exactly what is expected of them. Download a copy and adjust for your class and their needs. 

Ontario Report Card Sample Comments - provides new educators with sample comments that they can learn from to ensure they can give the best possible feedback to their students and parents. This is an essential skill that all educators need to develop early in their career in order to help their students improve and grow as learners.

Google Keep - This resource provides educators with the ability to add notes about specific students markings and use a hashtag with their name. This resource helps educators to stay organized and keep all their information into organized folders. During report card time educators are able to look at that students folder for all the notes about their progress. However, not all school boards use google and support for the program was discontinued in 2021. 

Rubistar - This resource makes it easier for educators to create fast rubrics in student-friendly language. It offers premade statements for assessment using levels 1-4 and the rubrics made can be easily downloaded. It offers many different subjects that make it easy to find what you are looking for. Some adjustments to the rubrics may be needed (*this resource is American and some items may not align with the Ontario curriculum).

Ludia - Poe - "Poe lets you ask questions, get instant answers, and have back-and-forth conversations with AI"

Magic School AI - "MagicSchool, to help lesson plan, differentiate, translate, write assessments..."

ChatGPT - A great tool for lesson planning, supporting with phrasing report card comments, activity creation, rubric and success criteria support, and many more!

SchoolAI - "The all-in-one AI platform for your classroom. Designed for K12 students with built-in monitoring & controls for teachers."

AI Tools for Teachers - Article: "7 AI Tools That Help Teachers Work More Efficiently" -These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.