With the support of the Ontario Ministry of Education, the three Principals Associations (L'Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes (ADFO), Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario (CPCO) and the Ontario Principals' Council) are preparing a series of three podcasts for Principals and Vice-Principals titled Supporting Students with Special Education Needs and Students with Disabilities - Leading Authentically.

These podcasts will highlight school leadership focusing on equity, accessibility, inclusion and full participation for students with special education needs and disabilities. 

Through this three-part series, Principals and Vice-Principals will better understand how self-knowledge about their complex identities can prepare them to learn about and understand the students they serve and intentionally and explicitly build inclusive learning environments. 

Principals and Vice-Principals can use this to build capacity within their sphere of influence to support students with special education needs and disabilities. This podcast offers opportunities for development as an individual or within a community of educators.

Podcast 1

Leading Authentically - De-Centering Ourselves

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This first podcast focuses on self-awareness and knowledge. It offers a snapshot of the voices of principals and vice-principals across the province, reflecting on their awareness, understanding, identities and positionality to highlight school leadership with a focus on equity, accessibility and inclusion. 

Through self-reflection on a series of questions, this podcast explores the experiences of school administrators defining their own identities. As you listen to the podcast, consider your leadership practices that may be:

  • culturally responsive to recognize, address and reduce barriers to student success for students with special education needs and students with disabilities 
  • characterized by anti-oppressive, anti-ableism and anti-colonial environments fostering accessibility, inclusion, and full participation
  • Supportive of the implementation of such practices in schools

Reflection Questions From the Podcast:

 

  1. Consider an area of discomfort or uncertainty when supporting students concerning race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, ability, and/or ethnicity.
    • When you consider your own lived experience, how have you come to understand issues related to your power and privilege?

    • What are some ways you are educating yourself about the history of Turtle Island (the part now known as Canada) and/or the TRC Calls to Action to support your understanding of self and your role as leader within schools?

    • How do you lead in ways that demonstrate your awareness of your own cultural biases and how did you get to that place?


    Consider: Where do we need to go to get to where we need to be?

    Podcast 2

    Leading Authentically - Centering those we serve

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    This second episode focuses on school leadership that values student voice by centering the students we serve. Hear the voices of school Administrators across the province as they consider their attitudes and believes, student belonging, and building relationships to highlight school leadership with a focus on equity, accessibility and inclusion centering on students with special education needs. Through self-reflection on a series of questions, this episode explores how centering the voice and experiences of students impacts their daily leadership practice. As you listen to the podcast, consider your leadership practices that:

    •  Center students with special education needs in all decisions
    •  Allow you to intentionally get to know your students and their families, so that you can serve them in a way that they feel heard and understood 
    •  Are culturally responsive to recognize, address and reduce barriers to student success for students with special education needs and students with disabilities 
    •  Are characterized by anti-oppressive anti-ableist and anti-colonial environments fostering accessibility, inclusion, and full participation, and
    • Are supportive of the implementation of such practices in schools.

    Podcast 3

    Leading Authentically - Re-Centering Learning Environments for Student Success

    In the final episode of this series, listen to the voices of school Administrators across the province and consider how these relationships work to create teaching and learning environments that reflect the fluid and responsive nature of the spaces and places that exist within school systems. 

    This episode explores how centering the voice and experiences of students impacts daily leadership practice. As you listen to the podcast, consider your leadership practices that:

    • Center students with special education needs in all decisions
    • Allow you to intentionally get to know your students and their families, so that you can serve them in a way that they feel heard and understood
    • Are culturally responsive to recognize, address and reduce barriers to student success for students with special education needs and students with disabilities