Ontario students share their thoughts and ideas and offer advice.
You’ve Got This!
Hear some inspiring words from our student engagement committee members.
YOU’VE GOT THIS!
You’ve Got This!
Ahastan, Central Region, Grade 11 (2021–2022)
This video features Ahastan, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
Remember, the result you get on this assessment does not define who you are. Instead, it’s the start of learning something new. You got this!
You Got This!
Diana, East Region, Grade 10 (2021–2022)
This video features Diana, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
Here at EQAO, our goal is to see you succeed and express yourself through learning. We have designed the assessment with easy navigation, which will allow all students like you to do your very best.
You’ve Got This!
Jack, West Region, Grade 11 (2021–2022)
This video features Jack, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
Hey, secondary students! You’ve got this. You have done this before in elementary school. You’ll be fine. You know the information. You’ll be perfectly fine. Don’t worry. Take a deep breath, and good luck!
You’ve Got This!
Karanjot, Central Region, Grade 12 (2021–2022)
This video features Karanjot, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
To all students taking part in the EQAO test: try your best, do not stress about it and good luck!
You’ve Got This!
Kassandra, East Region, Grade 12 (2021–2022)
This video features Kassandra, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
I hope you slept well last night. Do not be afraid; success will find you. Be calm; stay focused and everything will be fine. Good luck to you all, and I wish you great success!
You’ve Got This!
Liam, West Region, Grade 9 (2021–2022)
This video features Liam, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
A good tip to remember while you’re taking the test is to stay calm, because it turns out, you can’t think if you’re not calm.
You’ve Got This!
Vandy, Central Region, Grade 12 (2021–2022)
This video features Vandy, 2021–2022 EQAO Student Engagement Committee member, giving words of encouragement and advice to other students taking the tests.
I know you may be nervous to write your test, but try to see this as an opportunity to apply and demonstrate all the amazing skills that you’ve learned through the years. Your peers are rooting for you. Your teachers are rooting for you. We’re rooting for you, and we believe in you. Good luck!
Student Voices
Listen to what students have to say about their experience within Ontario’s school system.
Student Voices
Student Voices: An Understanding Teacher
What engages students in school and learning?
In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
An Understanding Teacher
What engages students in school and learning?
In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
What engages students in school and learning? In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I want my next year’s teacher to know my name, and I have a sister. I want them to know that because I think names are special to everyone, and I love my sister because she’s part of my family.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I would like my teacher next year to know that I am a good reader and that she gives me good books.”
Elementary school student from the Northeast Region: “I would like my teacher next year to know that I like to do math, but when you do math with a timer, I don’t like it. Because I like taking my time with work because I like to succeed more than not to succeed.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I want my next year’s teacher to know about me that I love math, I even want more homework. I want to improve on my writing, too.”
Elementary school student from the Toronto Region: “That I am autonomous. I would like her to know my strengths and weaknesses, because I believe it is important so that she can teach me more.”
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I want next year’s teacher to know about me that I really like working with other people and I like being a leader. And also, I really like how you can experiment with different people’s skills. I also really like using technology with my learning.”
Student Voices: A Caring School Climate
What engages students in school and learning?
In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
A Caring School Climate
“What engages students in school and learning?”
In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
What engages students in school and learning? In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
Elementary school student from the East Region: “What I love about school is the nice friends and teachers that I’ve made. And they take care of us and they say we can do anything if we put our minds to it.”
Elementary school student from the Toronto Region: “That I have friends… / That you have friends…/ And playing, and when I read books at the library house.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “Our school is a very great place. All of the people are very kind, loving, and caring.
Elementary school student from the East Region: “What I like most about school is that all my friends are with me. I like it when my friends are with me, because I think it’s more fun to do group work.”
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I love about school is that my friends again because they always stand up for me and they always play with me outside so I’m not lonely.”
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I’m hopeful that all the teachers are interactive with the students, which gives me hope that even if kids aren’t as bright as other kids, they have the help that they need.”
Elementary school student from the Toronto Region: “Right now I have a pretty cool but also serious teacher who is always ready to help you. And what makes her always ready and always fun? Because the teacher’s tone or attitude can change the interest in the subject.”
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I think that we do a lot of inclusiveness and we also have different aspects. We incorporate collaboration and all these, not just education and academics, but we also have participation and all these other aspects that make our school really fun and it’s a great place to be.”
Elementary school student from the West Region: “I think that they feel more safe in this school because we have all these anti-bullying things going on, so they’re not afraid to be themselves and answer questions and take more risks.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I think the teachers are really nice. They will always help you if you have difficulties and if you feel uncomfortable.”
Secondary school student from the West Region: “About school, I really like the community that I have with my friends that I’ve made, and how it’s really diverse, and I can learn new things about people, and that I’m accepted as well because everyone else wants to be, because we’re all different. And having the community of the First Nations kids that I can relate to and I spend a lot of time with because I’m familiar with them that it just makes me really comfortable to have that at my school.”
Secondary school student from the East Region: “The personality of the teachers and staff around me, since when they are passionate, I am encouraged to learn better.”
Secondary school student from the East Region: “In my opinion, what gives students hope is that there are always new activities, and teachers are always trying to make student learning more interactive and to have group discussions and to really include everyone in everything that happens in our school.”
Secondary school student from the Central Region: “Okay. Well, at my school, there are many opportunities, many cool classes, like language courses. For one, I took Spanish this semester, which was a very cool experience. I’m looking forward to taking German next year, so there are lots of opportunities here at my school, and I think the way it’s set up here, kids have a very good chance of being successful in life, because you can go into acting, you can become an architect, you can become an automotive engineer. Opportunities and jobs are endless.”
Secondary school student from the Northeast Region: “What do I like best about school? The teachers are, like, open to everybody; you can ask questions. It’s always better when there’s a teacher who will answer openly; you’re not embarrassed, like, to ask him questions.”
For more information about EQAO, visit www.eqao.com.
Student Voices: Growing Needs for Independence, Flexibility and Choice
What engages students in school and learning?
In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
Growing Needs for Independence, Flexibility and Choice
“What engages students in school and learning?”
In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
What engages students in school and learning? In 2018, EQAO asked 120 Ontario students to share their opinions and experiences concerning school and learning.
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I did my best learning when I’m working with my friends because we know a lot about each other. And, it’s more better working with someone you know well, than working with someone you don’t really know.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I learn best when I like what I learn very much. Like mathematics, I like it. So I learn very well when I like the subject and when I am good.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I would change to make it clean so people don’t trip over stuff, and making it quiet so you can talk to your partner if they can help you, and so you can concentrate on your work.”
Elementary school student from the Toronto Region: “It’s completely silent in the classroom. /Why?/ Because sometimes it’s easier to focus on my work.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I learn best when someone is there to see if I make mistakes or if I forget things, because that way I will remember and not make those kinds of mistakes again.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “I wish we could work more with computers or on the carpet because – I like it because I can sit with my friends, and I like working with technology.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “In one of my classes, we have this thing called a flexible learning space, which I like and enjoy, and I wish that could be in all of my classes, every class I go to.”
Elementary school student from the East Region: “The more opportunities, the merrier. The more schools provide opportunities, the more that learning would improve. Not just in me, but in other students.”
Elementary school student from the Toronto Region: “I learn best when Madame explains – not for too long, because then I don’t understand. So she has to explain a little bit and then I try it for myself.”
Elementary school student from the Central Region: “I do my best learning when I’m with people who encourage me because encouragement from your peers is everything. People often aren’t able to do things alone, but when they’re with each other, they can actually strive and they can push themselves to do better. So when I’m with my friends, I feel like I can do anything.”
Secondary school student from the Northeast Region: “If I had more self-directed classes, I could progress at my own pace and I think it would help me a lot in school.”
Secondary school student from the Central Region: “I think increasing the amount of interactive activities we do in class would definitely help me learn better. For example, in calculus class we were given metal rods to play with to kind of visualize what a 3D line would look like in a 3D plane. And this helped us understand the fundamentals behind algebraic vectors, which later helped us understand the applications of it.”
Secondary school student from the West Region: “What I would change to make it better is just keeping the class, like, interactive, so we aren’t just like sitting there for … What is it? 6, 75 minutes and just listening to a teacher talk, but have a big group discussion and to have basically an answer to our question, which will lead to an even bigger question, and on and on.”
Secondary school student from the Toronto Region: “What I would change in the learning environment for the school to offer us more opportunities and more field trips, because I believe that when we learn information from specialists – for example, if we can go to city hall to learn about the policies and administration of our city.”
Secondary school student from the East Region: “I learn best when the teacher is aware of my learning style, my work speed, and my needs as a student and as an individual who wants to learn. It is when this dynamic, this synergy between teacher and student has really been fully explored, has been completely perfected, this is where I learn best and this is where I am most productive in the classroom.”
Secondary school student from the Central Region: “I think the biggest thing is I would like to hear a variety of student voice. A lot of our student voice comes from academic students who are highly involved. I’d like to hear from students who maybe don’t enjoy school or have troubles at school, and I would like to hear their reasoning.”
For more information about EQAO, visit www.eqao.com.