President's Message - September 2022

A Fresh Start

As we embark on a new school year, I am beginning a new journey as the President of OAME/AOEM. I am incredibly humbled by this opportunity to give back to the association that has supported me throughout my career. I am hopeful that with the new school year and newly elected members on the Board of Directors, OAME/AOEM will continue to serve mathematics teachers of Ontario in reaching their goals.

On a more personal level, I am also intimidated. There have been many exemplary educators who have filled this role in the past. They have helped to steer this organization through times of smooth sailing and those that included some rough waters. Regardless of the conditions, I believe that we, as an organization, have always emerged each year stronger than the one before. So why am I intimidated? I often reflect on my own strengths and areas for growth, and wonder if I really have what it takes to lead an organization that is, truly, an association full of leaders.

We live in a world that has presented many challenges over the past few years. Equity has rightfully claimed the stage around the world. Human rights and protection under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms have been highlighted. Individuals are speaking up against injustice, prioritizing human rights, even in the face of adversity. In Ontario, there has been a new elementary mathematics curriculum released recently, and a new Grade 9 destreamed mathematics curriculum. Resources that used “Flash” software (i.e., Adobe Flash) have become unusable, forcing educators to find alternative resources. And then there is COVID-19, which has altered forever our view of the world, including education.

We have suffered losses, but while we grieve for a world that will never quite be the same, we have an opportunity to begin again. I am hopeful that this school year will be one that is closer to normal, albeit a new normal. Staff members and students who were engaging online may now return to physical classrooms. In-person school-wide events may become the norm again. But most importantly, we can refocus on our pursuit of a positive, inclusive environment focused on community, caring, and learning for all.

Through the OAME/AOEM Gazette and Abacus publications, OAME Talks podcasts, the OAME/AOEM website, the Ontario math support website (www.ontariomath.support/), where revised curriculum resources are housed, and our face-to-face annual conference, “Empowering Me in 2023,” in Toronto, our organization will continue to work on equity and inclusivity as we embrace change and build connections within our organization and beyond. A critical step in this process is to revisit our position papers written during the last few years, including those on equity and destreaming, and create an action plan to ensure our organization is meeting the needs of teachers of mathematics in the province. We will continue to support our local chapters, which have always been integral to our organization, as they may be able to meet face-to-face again. We will continue to support teachers through events that are relevant and meaningful to the teachers and students in each region.

Again, on a more personal note, the last few years have allowed me to recognize my own strengths and areas of growth, while also learning much about my personal history through the creation of a personal land acknowledgment to recognize the place of Indigenous cultures in our country, something I encourage everyone to do. It is important to continue to confront our biases as we strive to do better, and to be better. Through such experiences that allow us to learn and grow, we have the opportunity to re-establish that we are not only teachers of mathematics—we are teachers of students. Am I still filled with self-doubt in terms of my leadership ability? Absolutely! But I am ready to listen, and I am ready to ask for help while adapting to this new role and this new world. And perhaps it is that self-doubt and willingness to admit not knowing how to do everything that is what makes me ready to embark on this journey. We need to embrace the doubt, the fear, the mistakes, and the uncertainty as we move into a post-pandemic world. After all, we have a fresh start every school year. And we have a fresh start every day.

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” —Meister Eckhart

Previous Message:
Judy's June Message

Next Message:
"What we know matters, but..."

Index of Messages