2. Working Memory

The relationship between Ontario teachers and the government and school boards has at times, been fraught by labour unrest and, at others, been characterized by the uneventful implementation of curriculum mandates. Chapter 2 provides a brief history of the relationship Ontario teachers have with the school system through a recounting of labour disputes and curriculum revisions that have affected teachers’ autonomy since the beginning of public schooling in the province. This chapter explores how that history affected how teachers experienced the early days of the pandemic and the transition from in-person to emergency remote teaching and learning.