TDSB Eureka Conference

You might get the impression from my blog that all I do is attend conferences. That's not true. There's a LOT going on, both at school and just in life in general. I hope I get a chance in the near future to write about some of the other events and situations, like K Pop Demon Hunter Club, the AML Beyond Books podcast, our recent superintendent visit, an update on Mom, the STEM pigloos ... there's so much to discuss! 

TDSB Eureka Conference 2026

Session Reflections by Diana Maliszewski

Friday, February 13, 2026

8:30 - 9:15 a.m. - Registration and Marketplace

Summary: This was a great opportunity to visit the vendors, and to get set up for my session that was running during Slot C. I scoped out some tables that I returned to during the lunch hour. I also enjoyed chatting with Jennifer Acheson prior to the opening ceremonies.

9:30 - 10:45 a.m. - Opening Remarks and Keynote

Summary: The keynote was by Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai, the COO of IDEA-STEM.

3 Key Points:

1) There are three fundamental axioms. a) We live in a world saturated with STEM, b) STEM is instrumental for the future, and c) STEM literacy is very important.

2) We are all fully dimensional people with multitudes, but when someone is disabled, often the disability is placed first or placed at the center; put the person themselves at the center instead. (For instance, it's Mahadeo at the center, who is an educator, a cancer geneticist, Guyanese, autistic, blind, husband, father, Trek fan, etc.) 

3) Teachers have incredible influence, especially in the Caribbean, but still so in Canada. Teachers can influence the future careers of their students, and sometimes the barriers to students in STEM aren't fixable by an IEP, but may be attitudinal or systemic. Teachers, figure out creative ways to teach concepts that don't rely solely on things being visual - make them multisensory because there is no "average" human being.

So What? Now What?

I really liked Dr. Sukhai's talk, and not just because he is also a Scarborough high school attendee like me AND comes from the same country my parents came from, who spoke about the process of taking the Common Entrance exam to get into prep school (Mapps College and Queen's College for Mahadeo, vs my dad who went from Brickdam RC School to St. Stanislaus College). He spoke to us with humor and insights. He used a lot of polls to "take the temperature" of the crowd. (I was a little concerned that so many people said that product was more important than process - then again, there were a lot of high school educators in the room! ;>). He really poked at our assumptions, such as his blank family tree and asked us what the colored portions represented. He did not let the Canadian education system rest on any laurels, because even though he said there was no support in the Caribbean for students with disabilities, the Canadian support network doesn't know how to deal with immigrants or with learners who are twice exceptional (e.g. he was a gifted prodigy who was also a low vision autistic student). My next step is to ensure I am being multisensory in my teaching approaches. I was also grateful to see that one of Dr. Sukhai's coping strategies and pillars of strength during his trying high school years was the school library and library helpers. It means my other next step is to ensure the school library at my school acts in a similar fashion to students who need something that the regular class environment might not be able to provide.

Media Artifacts:

11:00 - 12:00 noon - Session A = STEM Equity in Action: 30 Minute STEM Modules

Summary: A group called Visions of Science (https://www.vosnl.org/ ) ran a hands-on workshop demonstrating how they can help support STEM lessons that have an equity focus.

3 Key Points:

1) STEM is everywhere but many youth do not see themselves as being part of STEM careers or pathways. As they say on their website:

Persistent systemic barriers impact and exclude some youth from full participation and opportunity. Every day, we are losing out on untapped brilliance and innovation. We are missing the opportunity to harness their creativity and perspective, which can lead to groundbreaking discoveries and innovations.

2) Representation matters. The facilitators who run these after-school workshops are mostly Black and racialized youth. The themes of the activities integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

3) Deliberate design in prompts, materials, and methodology for exploration sets things up for success for all sorts of students.

So What? Now What?

I really enjoyed this session. I had a hard time registering and so Marsha Ireland, the program coordinator for science in TDSB and one of the conference organizers, selected this session for me to attend. I absolutely loved how they set up the materials using pre-measured resources, so that students could experiment within reason and not waste supplies. I liked their challenge cards and how the same task, such as the "EcoFizz: Making Eco-friendly Bath Bombs!" had differentiated challenge cards, such as "Design for Every Skin" (make a bath bomb formula for a specific skin type) or "Fizzy Reactor" (experiment with ratios to make different types of fizz reactions). There were three stations set up for us: the Marble Run, the Bath Bombs, and the Hair Products. The presenters were very friendly and very generous with their handouts, allowing us to take the print copies of their activities. My next step is to explore their website more and work on setting up my STEM provocations in ways similar to them so that students have multiple entry points and applications for equity. (Big thanks to one of the facilitators for taking a photo of me making my bath bomb!)

Media Artifacts: 

12:15 - 1:15 p.m. - Session B = Lunch and Marketplace

Summary: I revisited several stations in the marketplace, enjoyed my tuna wrap lunch, and squeezed in an important phone call.

3 Key Points

1) First Lego League is going to be making a major shift, because Lego Spike Prime robots will no longer be produced.

2) IDEA-STEM is prototyping a game that involves people in STEM careers who also have disabilities.

3) STAO is continuing to advocate for STEM professional learning for educators across Ontario.

So What? Now What?

I promise to find April and give her some of my garlic pork during Christmas time and she'll hook me up with some black cake. (April, Mahadeo, and I had a lovely talk about what it is like having Guyanese parents.) 

Media Artifacts:

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. - Session C = Cardboard as Conduit for STEM

Summary: Cardboard is a very versatile tool. I showed how using a Chomp Saw can help students use cardboard to build things that connect to Grade 7, 8, and 9 science curricula.

3 Main Points:

1) The Chomp Saw is both safe and easy to use.

2) If you use AI to help you design lesson plans, double-check with a real person who is an expert. (For instance, I had Marsha Ireland preview my examples, and the one that was generated for Grade 9 was more suitable to Grade 7.)

3) There are so many possibilities. 

So What? Now What?

I was nervous about presenting to middle- and high-school science teachers, since I am neither. However, the group (28 were registered and there were at least 20 in the room) was a gracious and welcoming bunch of educators. I was absolutely WOWED with some of the things they created. Thank you to the TDSB Science Department for allowing me to borrow two of their newly purchased Chomp Saws. This meant we have four Chomp Saws for people to use and it meant shorter wait times. I gave the option of just trying out whatever they wished, or the prompt that Melanie and Mishelle provided to participants at their OLA Super Conference session two weeks ago (perfect timing!). Many chose to do their own thing and impressed me profoundly. One person made a book stand and I am DEFINITELY copying that idea - it made my teacher-librarian heart happy! Others made art, and swirls, and hands (I am going to email Kirk via our TDSB email system to converse with him; he teaches K-6 STEM and I admired his ideas, such as having reading buddies cut out the hands of their little partners using cardboard and then comparing the size and growth.) The Chomp Saw was so easy to use that, when I visited my father later that afternoon after the conference, I brought in one of the Chomp Saws and he and I made some letters together! 

Media Artifacts:

(Quality time is not the same as quantity of time. Double-check those narratives!)

2:30 - 3:00 p.m. - Closing Remarks and Prizes

So What? Now What?

I missed the closing remarks because I spent the time cleaning and reassembling the classroom. The SATEC @ Porter teacher whose class I was using for my session was very appreciative of my efforts to return all the furniture to the way it was before the conference. As I trudged with my boxes of machines and materials, I was searching for the easiest way to get to the parking lot, since there are two. A wonderful high school student from David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, whose names begins with an F, actually went looking for me in the hallway so that he could bring my things to my car. Mr. Kim, Robotics coach from Thomson - you'll be receiving an email from me to heap praise upon this kind young man who went out of his way to give assistance. In this world that can sometimes feel cruel and ugly, this Grade 11 student made things a little brighter. 

I was also grateful to meet up with Robin McCabe. Robin and I went to teachers' college together and he is my daughter's godfather. It was a pleasant surprise to see him at the conference, and we went for tea after the conference to catch up with each other. 

Media Artifacts:

To conclude, I want to thank Marsha Ireland, who refused to let me rescind my offer to present at this conference. It was both enjoyable and educational. Happy Family Day to those who celebrate - I'll be spending it writing IEPs and doing last-minute preparations for my two sessions at the upcoming Reading for the Love of It conference!

OTF 2026 Winter Curriculum Forum & Symposium

 Ontario Teachers Federation Curriculum Forum Winter Meeting and OTF/Affiliate Symposium on Teacher Education 2026

Empowering Teachers for Today and Tomorrow

Meeting Reflections Compiled by Diana Maliszewski

Friday, February 6, 2026

10:15 a.m. - Conversations and Connections / Preparing for the Symposium

Summary: OTF Director of Curriculum and Assessment Moses Velasco set the tone for the day by reviewing the Professional Learning Protocols and the goals for our meeting. We established connections with a robust round of People Bingo, complete with a prize for a completed scorecard. OTF Steering Committee member Diana Maliszewski helped the subject associations prepare for the Curriculum Forum Fair and the potential questions the teacher-candidates might ask using the strategies Snowball and Interview Role-Play

So What? Now What?

The media literacy educator in me was very happy, because the choice of what we did and how we did it was very deliberate - it's learning both through and about media, and the media experience was the energizers. I also appreciated the flexibility of both the facilitators and the participants; we did not realize how motivating the opportunity to win a gift card to A Different Booklist would be, and we had someone complete their paper within the first 15 minutes of the day! Someone else suggested that it be a draw at the end of our time together. The person who submitted their paper first (Nathalie Rudner) very graciously agreed to the change in the "rules". This shift meant that more people circulated, asking pertinent questions of the other attendees. 

The Snowball and Interview Role-Play seemed to go quite well. I am glad I remembered to use a target (and was tickled when Maria Makrakis worried about the tray left willy-nilly in the middle of the floor). The activity delighted many of the subject association representatives, who saw how their areas of expertise could be incorporated, from Nicki Keenliside's observations about throwing techniques depending on location, to Matthew Sheahan's pleasure at the acting opportunities. I will need to ask Peter Beens for a copy of the photos he took as the snowballs went flying. Unfortunately, I was too busy coordinating the activity to document it visually.

Media Artifacts:

10:45 a.m. - Association Sustainability Topics, Part 1

Summary: From past feedback from subject association members, there were six areas related to the theme of association sustainability that we used to structure our conversations and learning. For the first topic, Financial and Operational Management, we used the learning strategy of Graffiti Wall. For the second topic, Recruitment, Retention, and Succession Planning, we listened to a knowledgeable panel consisting of Nathalie Rudner from STAO, Tessa Lofthouse from CODE, and Ereney Shenouda-Tortian from OSCA. 

So What? Now What? 

I want to respect the frank conversations we had during this time, so I'll refrain from compiling here a list of some of their comments. My admiration for Gerry Lewis rose when he double-checked about whether it was permittable to take photos of the charts; he said that the information shared related to membership fees, conferences, revenue-generating streams and financial management was very useful but he did not want to flaunt the norms we had established by taking his own pictures. I took notes in the shared collaborative notes document. In my opinion, I think my "primitive" notetaking (where I listened to the conversations and typed what I heard myself) made the learning more "sticky" for me than having Generative AI create a summary of the audio - plus, I think we may need to clarify if we need authorization from others to allow their voices to be captured by AI in this way.

Media Artifacts:

1:00 p.m. Association Sustainability Topics, Part 2

Summary: Most of the OTF CF Steering Committee met at lunch to review and tweak our plans for the rest of the day. It was clear that a) there was some rich discussion and important conversations happening, and b) there was no way we were going to be able to complete all eight topics in the course of a single day. We were too ambitious! Our revised afternoon agenda began with the topic of Marketing, Promotion, and Member Value, using the learning strategy of Snaps, a version of the OSLA Slam. The second portion was about Governance, Structures, and Compliance, through the vehicle of Carousel Interviews in groups of 4 (formed from our shoe commonalities). 

So What? Now What? 

I want to thank Margaret-Anne Gillis from OCA, Frey Hastings from OAEA and James Steele from OATG for their empathy, their attentive listening, and their honesty. It makes such a big difference to know that subject associations are not alone when struggling with challenging situations. I want to recommend to the OTF CF Steering Committee that our Spring Meeting invite someone with legal experience, to help subject associations draft policies that can help protect the organizations and prevent troubles from arising. Sometimes, all it takes is one unskilled or irate person or one unfortunate event to make things crash.

I also need to remind myself about some upcoming cross-collaboration between subject associations. I promise Theresa Aqui from OFSHEEA that her organization and AML will work together on a project involving digital literacy and family studies (Theresa - email me to give me the details!) I need to circle back to Brian Weishar from ELAN to promote some of their materials. Adam Mills from OAPT and I must chat about how to thrive when your subject association can be grouped inside another. I need to connect with Tessa Lofthouse from CODE about their web developers and the ability to use a filter to locate lessons on the website. Plus, I want to finish the article that Tessa and I started marrying our two subject areas; in fact, I should really consider co-writing an article with every subject association on the media aspects of their subject. Chelsea Attwell (fellow AML director) suggested that we revive our Facebook presence. I need to submit a proposal for Lynn Thomas and ECOO's upcoming conference (and maybe suggest the Ontario Privacy Commission, because they are keen to involve OSLA in promoting their recently developed privacy resources for schools). Speaking of OSLA, Wendy Burch Jones and I have lots of big plans related to T4L, articles for CSLJ, and more!

7:15 p.m. - (Keynote Presentation) The Practice of Hope: Preparing Teachers for a Democratic Future 

Summary: After a lovely dinner with Gerry, Adam, Wendy, Mona, Lynn, and Cal, we gathered to hear Professor Joel Westheimer talk.

3 Key Points:

1) Hope drives us but this a dark time in history. Would we be able to tell if we were in a classroom in a democracy or dictatorship or theocracy? What should be different? What would be different about the students / citizens?

2) Stable democracies are unraveling and people are becoming more accepting of totalitarian alternatives. In 1995, 1 in 16 people in a US survey said being run by the military would be the best option, but in 2026, 1 in 4 agreed that military rule would be best. Canada cannot be smug because in a similar survey, 13.5% of Canadians would support/prefer military rule.

3) We must push back, ask uncomfortable questions, show courage, offer dissent, because "democracy must be born anew and education is the midwife". Educators must work collectively on projects we believe in to give us a sense of purpose, with courage, autonomy, community and solidarity. The purpose of education (according to a quote) is to comfort the troubled and trouble the comforted. 

So What? Now What?

Westheimer said some things that aligned nicely with my philosophies, such as that libraries are very important in a democratic society, and that a "radical" (not so radical if you are media literate) idea is to point out to the students that "someone wrote this textbook". He suggests that AI attacks things that make us human, and we must guard against that. We need to teach diplomacy, and recognize that for many young people, democracy isn't delivering for them in terms of their priorities and hopes (e.g. gun control, the environment, or education). I don't have any strong next steps that I must take, just to continue what I'm doing.

Saturday, February 7, 2026

8:30 a.m. (Breakout Session A) Subject Associations as Mechanisms for Teacher Empowerment

Empowerment Within Subject Associations: A Route to Teacher Empowerment by Timothy Sibbald, Nippising University

Summary: Timothy talked about the history of subject associations and how they fit with leadership models.

3 Key Points:

1) Subject associations go back to the Victorian era (1837-1901) and connect to the "new" practice of proctoring entrance exams for Oxford and Cambridge, which led to guilds becoming subject associations. In 1860 the Ontario Teachers Association was formed and became the umbrella organization for subject associations. The unions endorsed the guilds, which led to the formation of subject associations.

2) Subject associations "picked up the loose ends" in teacher training, when the would-be educators did not have the content knowledge needed. These are learned societies and they are not just a Canadian phenomenon. There are 50 subject associations in Ontario, 30 in the UK, 50 in Japan, 40 in New Zealand, and more than 50 in the US.

3) Little research exists about subject associations. These organizations operate with volunteers and minimal budget. They don't necessarily fit neatly with leadership theories such as instructional / transformational / external / distributed leadership.

ABCs (Activities Bolstering Curriculum) that Empower and Innovate by Diana Maliszewski, Association for Media Literacy

Summary: Diana talked about how student and teacher passions for media texts can be integrated so that they bring agency, interest, and joy. 

3 Key Points

1) It's helpful to use curriculum expectations and backwards planning when designing lessons, but that doesn't necessarily make them memorable. The group mentioned enjoyable lessons from their past like stream studies, a cow video, and a field trip downtown. 

2) Diana's philosophy is "learning is fundamental - fun before da mental" and by making it enjoyable and personal, it becomes memorable. She provided several examples from Sanrio to green screen, K Pop Demon Hunters to fashion, from pets to board games and Chomp Saws.

3) Subject associations are fueled by people who have a passion for their subject matter. Educators can consult the websites of subject associations for lesson ideas (ABCs) that are created by knowledgeable, motivated fellow teachers.

Supporting Knowledgeable and Confident Mathematics Teachers Through Subject Matter Associations by Jennifer Holm, Wilfrid Laurier University / OAME

Summary: Jennifer, who is the OAME university representative, talked about how important OAME is to forming good math teachers.

3 Key Points

1) Subject associations are not representative of the general educator population. When it comes to math, it's like "speaking to the converted"; the problem is that we need to speak to those who aren't as "in love" with math, because they sometimes apply concepts and methods incorrectly.

2) You need math knowledge as a math teacher. OAME provides several publications that include articles for non-math teachers. They offer webinars that contain an hour of excellent PD.

3) Jennifer gave us a tour of askOAME, their special AI that has been trained on OAME content.

So What? Now What?

I really enjoyed Timothy's "history lesson". He is the editor of The Gazette, one of their online magazines. My line about "FUNdamental learning" will appear in an upcoming issue of The Gazette! I want Canadian School Libraries Journal to invite Tim (or Cal Armstrong) to write an article about their askOAME chatbot. 

Media Artifacts: 

10:20 a.m. (Breakout Session B) Preparing New Teachers to Use Generative AI

Behind and In Front of the Screen: AI in the Classroom by Darren Todd, Lakehead University

Summary: Darren gave an overview of issues related to AI, from how we got here to key issues in the class to how to approach it.

3 Key Points

1) November 2022 was a pivotal moment in global society because ChatGPT3 was released, and it has had an impact, generating anxiety and uncertainty in how we move forward. Lakehead University was one of the first to look at how teachers were using AI and it mirrored other studies around the world. AI is a commercial venture and humans are a digital commodity.

2) Source algorithms for non-generative AI seems lately to be "kinder" with more user control, however, technology is always one step ahead of educators, and these external pressures are placed on traditional pedagogy and practices. There seems to be a correlation between screen time and lower reading scores. For students, we must be cautious about "outsourcing our learning" and examine issues like plagiarism, social and emotional learning, shifting ethics, screen time and the decline of creative and critical skills. For teachers, we must wonder if "true learning" is taking place, and the over-reliance on AI by some teachers for too many aspects of their job.

3) Darren says the human interactions are key to using AI. We should use AI as a support tool but provide skill sets that are human-based to our students (social/emotional/ethical/research skills) and focus more on things like STEM/Makerspace. It's like picking up a chainsaw. Be careful.

Preparing New Teachers for Generative AI in Public Education

Summary: Julie shared the union perspective on AI, explaining why caution and thoughtfulness must govern educator use of AI.

3 Key Points

1) There's an odd juxtaposition - some teachers don't want their students to use AI, yet are enthusiastic to use AI themselves a lot. Teachers should obtain the knowledge they need before deciding whether or not to use AI themselves or with students. Teach ABOUT generative AI, not just with it. It is the fastest adoption of technology we've ever seen and we need to slow down and use our professional judgement, including our thoughts about what it means to be a teacher. 

2) Julie used Google Maps as an allegory. Her knowledge of the city she lives in makes and influences her decisions on the routes to take that Google Maps recommends. However, if she is in an unfamiliar city, she relies on it more, but we all know that Google Maps can be wrong and direct people to drive into lakes or incorrect spots. Our professional judgement rights also come with responsibilities. We can determine what tools to use but we must be aware of our board's regulations / AI policies and we must be prepared to provide a rationale for your decisions for tool use/selection if asked, to protect our autonomy. We used to have lots of vetted supported resources available but this is no longer the case.

3) If you choose to use AI, choose to employ it with something that is easily verifiable (e.g. like the rock cycle), not on topics that have nuance and perspectives (e.g. land use and mining disputes). Teaching is like learning to drive; it takes a long time to get good and it takes practice. Don't lose the craft of teaching to AI.

So What? Now What?

I love listening to Julie. I took a few more copies of ETFO's "AI in Ed: Advice for Members" sheets. 

Media Artifacts:

11:20 a.m. - Curriculum Forum Fair

Summary: This was an opportunity for Faculty of Education students and faculty to interact with subject associations, ask questions, and gather information.

So What? Now What? 

I had a great conversation with Blair Vowels, who took the TL AQ with me and is now the OSSTF TELC Federation member from York, about collective agreement language for teacher-librarians. His information has spurred me to approach OSLA about a possible fact-searching mission.

I also had a great conversation with Timothy Sibbald from Nippising University. He inspired a wonderful potential AML article topic: What makes a great alt-text? It's more than a caption, less than a description, and somewhat like a precis. Who should develop alt-texts? The thing is that if text is in an unfamiliar font, it forces the user to read slower and get more out of it, but you can't create a magazine comprised entirely of a unconventional font, because sans serif fonts are good for readers. How often would/could/should publications (like OAME's Gazette) change the font? 

1:40 p.m. (Closing Keynote) Looking Ahead: What Really Matters in Teacher Education? by Ann Lopez

Summary: Dr. Lopez shared her positionality, her wonderings, and agency for change based on radical love.

3 Key Points:

1) Look for the knowledge that is missing. She began her talk with an African Ancestral Acknowledgement and told us about Nanny of the Maroons. She mentioned the horrible image shared online portraying the Obamas as apes as an attempt to normalize hate and asked us what we are going to do about it. Lopez stated that if we do not pay attention, we are perpetuating harm. Some things can't be both-sided.

2) We bring ourselves and our ideologies into the class space. She has had to make an effort to unlearn her colonial education, because her positionality impacts her actions and we all need to learn, unlearn, and relearn. For instance, she "lovingly redirects" instead of acting like a prison guard with discipline. We bring our aspects of our socialization whether we realize it or not. Instead of saying "Where are you from?", which can make people feel like they don't belong, say "Tell me about yourself" or "What's the land of your ancestors?" to be invitational and avoid assumptions.

3) Be aware that people are monetizing dehumanization. Use hope as agency, as resistance. Don't be complicit. What will you use your voice for? Center a holistic, collaborative approach to support new teachers in an intentional way that re-centers humanity and positions teaching and learning as acts of justice.

So What? Now What? 

This was a call to action. I hope I have the courage to answer it.

Media Artifacts: