Notwithstanding anything in this section, teachers who are considering adopting or adapting any of these tips or suggestions are encouraged and reminded to do so in an informed way that a) respects collective agreements, b) adheres to board policies and other regulations and laws governing the profession, and c) does not adversely affect their own well-being.

As elementary teachers and educators, we can address equity issues and concerns with parents and guardians in these ways

• Acknowledge that teachers and parents may respond to equity and inclusivity concerns with a different frame of reference. Appreciate that some parents may hold values and belief systems that do not align with provincial, board and/or school policies.
• Take time early in the school year for students to create a positive, healthy classroom community where everyone knows each other.
• Co-create, with students, norms and codes of conduct for the classroom to empower students’ voices and share these with parents.
• Embrace equity and inclusive education as a dynamic framework that continues to evolve in response to changes in education and society at large.
• Apply a filter of equity and inclusive education by differentiating content, process and products (curriculum, instruction and assessments/evaluations) to respond to a variety of students’ strengths, interests, needs and learning styles. In this way, parents and guardians will see evidence of equity and inclusive principles in student work.
• Attend to students’ formally identified special needs by making accommodations and modifications as appropriate under the specific circumstances.
• Leverage the use of parents in their professional capacity and invite them as guest speakers to provide opportunities for students to interact with people whose identities are both similar to, and different from, theirs.
• Be aware of legislation and regulations, including Ministry and board policies and procedures and federation guidelines, that govern teachers’ ethical and legal obligations concerning human rights (e.g., the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms).
• If parents speak a language other than English in the home, try learning a few common words or phrases (e.g., hello, welcome, thank you, goodbye) in their language and use them in conversation with them.
• Encourage equity and inclusion as a fixture in planning school events involving students and their parents and guardians and design classroom or school-based activities that move beyond special events and celebrations.
• Frame responses to issues involving equity and inclusion concerns with the recognition that a tension sometimes exists between the individual interests of a student and the collective needs of others.
• Take advantage of opportunities within existing and emerging structures (e.g., school councils) to raise awareness among the parent community about the approaches that are being used within classrooms and the wider school to support equitable and inclusive education.
• Use formal occasions (e.g., parents’ nights or phone call to home) to invite parents’ and guardians’ ideas and suggestions about ways to deepen equity and inclusive practices.
• Post and display materials created by students in the classroom so that their work and their identities are visually reaffirmed and valued. These will be visual touchstones for students and parents when they are in the classroom.
• Encourage students to attend parent-teacher meetings with their parents or guardians and use a student-led conference approach to empower students to express their own learning progress including strengths, interests and needs.
• Invite parents and guardians to attend learning sessions, offered by experts, connected to issues of equity and inclusivity. This can help build a shared understanding of equity and inclusive principles and practices.
• Seek assistance, support and advice from other colleagues or professionals (e.g., special education teacher, settlement worker, social worker, equity officer, union steward / local union staff) about matters, issues, and questions of equity and inclusivity.

This section offers some considerations, approaches, and strategies that could be harnessed to support working with parents and guardians. These suggestions should be personalized by a teacher or educator to meet their own needs and to respond to their specific context. Furthermore, clearly some tips reflect approaches that cannot be undertaken by an individual teacher.

Notwithstanding anything in this section, teachers who are considering adopting or adapting any of these tips or suggestions are encouraged and reminded to do so in an informed way that a) respects collective agreements, b) adheres to board policies and other regulations and laws governing the profession, and c) does not adversely affect their own well-being.

As secondary teachers and educators, we can address equity issues and concerns with parents and guardians in these ways:

• Acknowledge that teachers and parents may respond to equity and inclusivity concerns with a different frame of reference. Appreciate that some parents may hold values and belief systems that do not align with provincial, board and/or school policies.
• Take time early in the semester for students to create a positive, healthy classroom community where everyone knows each other.
• Co-create, with students, norms and codes of conduct for the classroom to empower students’ voices and share these with parents.
• Embrace equity and inclusive education as a dynamic framework that continues to evolve in response to changes in education and society at large.
• Apply a filter of equity and inclusive education by differentiating content, process and products (curriculum, instruction and assessments/evaluations) to respond to a variety of students’ strengths, interests, needs and learning styles. In this way, parents and guardians will see evidence of equity and inclusive principles in student work.
• Attend to students’ formally identified special needs by making accommodations and modifications as appropriate under the specific circumstances
• Leverage the use of parents in their professional capacity and invite them as guest speakers to provide opportunities for students to interact with people whose identities are both similar to, and different from,  theirs.
• Be aware of legislation and regulations, including Ministry and board policies and procedures and federation guidelines, that govern teachers’ ethical and legal obligations concerning human rights (e.g., the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms).
• If parents speak a language other than English in the home, try a few common words or phrases (e.g., hello, welcome, thank you, goodbye) in their language and use them in conversation with them.
• Encourage equity and inclusion as a fixture in planning school events involving students and their parents and guardians and design classroom or school-based activities that move beyond special events and celebrations.
• Frame responses to issues involving equity and inclusion concerns with the recognition that a tension sometimes exists between the individual interests of a student and the collective needs of others.
• Take advantage of opportunities within existing and emerging structures (e.g., school councils) to raise awareness, among the parent community, about approaches that are being used within classrooms and the wider school to support equity and inclusive education.
• Use formal occasions (e.g., parents’ nights or phone call to home) to invite parents’ and guardians’ ideas and suggestions about ways to deepen equity and inclusive practices
• Post and display materials created by students in the classroom so that their work and their identities are visually reaffirmed and valued. These will be visual touchstones for students and parents when they are in the classroom.
• Encourage students to attend parent-teacher meetings with their parents or guardians and invite students to express their own learning progress including strengths, needs and next steps.
• Invite parents and guardians to attend learning sessions, offered by experts, that explore issues connected to equity and inclusivity. This can help build a shared understanding of equity and inclusive principles and practices.
• Seek assistance, support and advice from other colleagues or professionals (e.g., special education teacher, settlement worker, social worker, equity officer, branch president / local union or district staff) about matters, issues, and questions of equity and inclusivity.