Learning Together Again: Reflections from STAO 2025
Walking into the STAO conference this year felt both familiar and renewed. There was an immediate sense of shared purpose—educators reconnecting, exchanging ideas, and grounding conversations in the realities of today’s classrooms. For many of us, it marked a return to in-person professional learning and a reminder of why these spaces matter.
As a presenter, I facilitated a session titled Empowering Students with Exceptionalities in Ontario’s Elementary Science & Mathematics Classroom. The conversations it sparked felt especially timely, centring on questions of access, representation, and inclusion. We delved into who our science and mathematics classrooms are designed for, and who may still be navigating unnecessary barriers.
At the centre of the session was “SciTechOntario” – a free resource developed collaboratively by STAO, OCTE, and ACSE to support implementation of Ontario’s revised Elementary Science and Technology Curriculum (2022). What I appreciate the most about this work is how intentionally it embeds inclusive practice into science and mathematics learning. The lessons emphasize hands-on tasks, visual supports, flexible groupings, multiple ways for students to demonstrate understanding, and opportunities to connect learning to lived experience.
Representation and inclusion are not abstract ideas in this work. Students are more engaged when they see themselves reflected in learning and when connections are made to their own lives. Learning disabilities do not reflect a lack of intelligence, but differences in how information is processed—differences that call for intentional student-focused supports rather than reduced expectations. When those supports are in place, all students can access, participate in, and succeed in science and mathematics learning.
Beyond the amazing sessions, the conference itself reinforced the importance of fostering a professional community. It was energizing to reconnect with science and mathematics colleagues I hadn’t seen in years, and equally meaningful to interact face-to-face with educators and organizations whom I’ve collaborated with virtually through the STAO blog. Those informal conversations—at exhibitor tables, in hallways, and between sessions—often carried as much learning as formal presentations.
As a contributor to the STAO blog, the conference felt like a bridge between reflection and practice. Conversations with educational organizations opened up exciting possibilities for future blog features, particularly around career pathways, classroom connections, and student engagement. There is clear momentum heading into the coming year, along with a shared interest in continuing these conversations beyond the conference space.
If you haven’t yet explored “SciTechOntario”, I encourage you to do so. Also, if you’ve been reading the STAO blog but haven’t considered contributing, consider this an invitation.
STAO 2025 was a reminder that while curricula evolve, the heart of our work remains the same: creating classrooms where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.
