teacher

elementary school teacher

high school teacher

substitute teacher

english teacher

Toronto District School Board

There is no work-life balance, the work doesn't end when the students go home because you still have to plan, mark and contact parents. You have 3 sets of stakeholders you are supposed to satisfy: administration, students and parents. 
Principals are generally willing to be helpful and supportive but are often slammed by the demands of their own jobs. 
As a Core French teacher I was spending 95% of my day with people (students) who didn't want to be with me, didn't want to hear what I had to say and didn't want to learn from me. The situation was a little better as a homeroom teacher, but then there was very little work-life balance.
You can't choose your work assignment and often have to apply for jobs at specific times of year that are very stressful to begin with if you want to have a different assignment. Sometimes a job is posted only pro-forma, the principal already has a candidate in mind.
The workplace culture largely depends on the administration and the staff that's been at the school longest. There isn't a terrible amount of group cohesion between teachers as the job tends to leave you in your own silo, unless the culture of grade level collaboration is encouraged, which varies from principal to principal.
As an elementary teacher there is virtually no opportunity to advance in your role unless you want to develop along the administrative route. There may be some opportunities for centrally assigned teachers or Learning Coaches, but those jobs usually have exhaustive lists of requirements and competencies that they want the prospective candidate to display.
I've learned a lot about myself, primarily that you can't survive in this career unless you have excellent support at home and have the mental fortitude of a war horse.
For all that the Board supports diversity, it is extremely difficult to be a neurodivergent individual with invisible disabilities and stay employed as an elementary teacher.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Servicing students, staff and the public with regular needs

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Emergency procedures to ensure health and safety ro all staff and students.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment at my company is collaborative and supportive. We have a culture of open communication, where everyone's ideas are valued. The team is diverse, and there’s a strong emphasis on inclusivity and personal growth. We use flexible work arrangements to accommodate different needs, and there’s a focus on work-life balance. Overall, it's a place where innovation is encouraged, and employees are given the freedom to take initiative while still receiving guidance and support when needed.


What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day for me at the company starts with checking in on emails and any updates from the team. I often have a morning stand-up meeting where we align on priorities and discuss any challenges. Throughout the day, I focus on key tasks or projects, whether it’s collaborating with colleagues on a team initiative or working independently on assignments. I usually carve out some time for problem-solving and brainstorming sessions as well, which is great for innovation. In the afternoons, I review progress, attend meetings to touch base with coworkers and administrative staff, and plan for the next day. There’s also a lot of cross-functional collaboration, so each day brings new learning opportunities.”

Oh my, there's a lot to say about this place... 

First off, being a supply CYW is great experience & money, but do not expect to get a permanent job or LTO easily.  It takes time & connections to obtain any one of those. You will supply for YEARS. There is no guarantee of day to day work & you will definitely NEED to get a second & may even third job to make ends meet!

In the last few years, the Board has been cutting CYW positions like crazy. The KIP program will be closing at the end of June 2020 & High School Resource CYWs were assigned to work between 2 schools in September 2019. Talk about poor advancement...

Another thing is about the schools. Your sanity & work experience will greatly depend on the support and involvement of admin. Some places will treat you with respect & have an understanding of the CYW role. Others do not care & treat CYWs horribly. It is important that you have a VERY good understanding of your duties & stand up for yourself. If you don't, you will be taken advantage of. 

Lastly, I heed warning to any CYW that applies to work here. This board is one of the very few education system that recognizes the CYW role in a professional capacity in comparison to others. Yet, there is still a long way to go, as there is no official certification for us in Ontario. I highly recommend furthering your education (BSW, MSW, OCT) & go from there. There will be more, better paid opportunities on the horizon for you.

My experience working with the Toronto District School Board was a memorable one. As an occasional teacher, I was responsible for my personal professional growth by attending Additional Qualification Courses to maintain and sustain my professional judgment and skills in a growing technological society. A typical day was unpredictable because my jobs relied on the outgoing calls of job vacancies. Usually, when I established a relationship with a school I would provide my employee information to the teachers to pre book my jobs in advance. I felt that was extremely helpful in providing predictability and structure in my day. I loved working as an occasional teacher and supply teacher because it gave me an idea of how each school culture changed based on the demographics of the school locations. I felt that hardest part of the job was trying to find permanent jobs that helped anchor a foundation in my professional growth. It was a difficult job working with so many schools and teachers because I never fully grew as a permanent teacher at one school. I worked extremely hard to get hired at the school board and I found it helped with my character growth as a person. I fully enjoyed being a teacher and will always be a teacher at heart.

I have been working for the TDSB since 1987.  I have found the TDSB to be an equal opportunity employer with strengths in teacher training and development. Although all teachers need to follow curriculum set by the Ministry of Education in Ontario, the TDSB however has allowed teachers the freedom to set up their classrooms according to the needs of their students.
A typical day at work involves lots of oral discussions and interaction with my students as I am the only model for French (since I teach most of the subjects in French), reading, writing, the teaching of critical thinking, math, social studies, science, physical education, art, and English language.
The toughest part of the job in the last few years has been the amount of administrative duties I have had to do outside of my classroom duties.
The most enjoyable part of the job is certainly the students!
I have learned how to multitask in teaching, how to be flexible to interruptions that occur during the day, how to diplomatically deal with parents, and how to win the students trust before I begin teaching since students tend to focus more on a teacher they like and trust.

As a summer student for the TDSB I was able to work within various environments with a diverse community of people, while at the same time remaining with my assigned group of coworkers on a daily basis. While the job was quite demanding on occasion, my coworkers made my job at the TDSB feel like home. During my 5 years at the board, management switched over every year, and each new manager was always welcoming and easy to talk to. If my workplace environment ever got uncomfortable on a rare occasion, I was treated with the utmost respect by management. The hardest part of this job was the demanding physical labour and problem solving skills. This job really required me to be able to move large pieces of furniture across schools, and work at a fast pace. While some days were quite demanding, I always felt respected and appreciated for the jobs I was assigned to do. The most enjoyable part of the job were the friendships I have made and continue to keep. This position really did go to show that the people around you and their positive attitudes really are a key role in a workplace environment and can positively impact the efficiency and happiness of a company's employees.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) faces significant challenges regarding its work culture. A pervasive lack of support for transferring between schools limits career growth and diminishes job satisfaction among educators. Many staff members report feeling undervalued, particularly long-serving teachers whose experience often goes unrecognized. This disregard for veteran educators contributes to a discouraging environment, where ageism appears to play a role in how staff are treated and perceived.

Moreover, the impact of school principals cannot be overstated; they play a crucial role in shaping school climate. Unfortunately, inconsistent leadership can lead to toxic atmospheres, further alienating teachers. A culture of respect and acknowledgment for contributions is sorely lacking, resulting in high turnover rates and low morale. 

Overall, the TDSB must address these systemic issues to foster a healthier work environment. By prioritizing career mobility, recognizing the value of experienced educators, and ensuring strong, supportive leadership, the board can begin to create a more positive and productive atmosphere for all staff members.


I have had a variety of experiences in different situations with youth ageing from 6 to 24 years of age. These include group homes, school settings, camp settings and shelters. I have had many success stories while working with these youth. I have experience working in the different cultural regions of Toronto and have experience working with mental health, behaviour and addictions as well. I have also just recently had the opportunity to co-ordinate a summer camp program for a community in Toronto that is at risk.
You will find me to be very relaxed and able to deal with any situation that may arise. I am able to remain calm and deal with issues with assertiveness, and utilize a behavioural cognitive discussion to help resolve the problem. As I stated before, I have experience working with behaviours, and have managed to have some youth come around and learn different ways of dealing with their anger, simply by speaking with them (not at them) and offering different options to try. 
Although I currently reside in Barrie, I am more than willing to transfer to where I am needed, providing the employment opportunities are there.


A typical day at work could be challanging due to the various needs of the students. This school is inner city school that is located in high priority neighbourhood in the westend of Toronto.  What makes up for the behavioural issues is the amazing people that work in this school. Due to the fact that I am a occassional teacher who sometimes gets long term teaching positions I have been fortunate enought to work with the teacher from every division.  While working with my grade teams I have learned that they are all worderful hardworking people who would do anything to support each other to meet the unique individual needs of every child in this school.  As for the adminstration, they are two very supportive individuals who understand that without their continued support for both or professional growth and daily school life things would not be as positive as they are in this school.  You can always count on this admin to help you through anything.  The only regret I have from this place is that I was not able to get full-time permanant work due to low enrollement.

The typical day started at about 8am with my arrival at school. I would open my day book and review  the lesson I had planned at home or before leaving school the day before. I would go to the office  and pick up my mail and attendance sheets. I would open the classroom 15 minutes before class started. I would teach nearly the whole 75 min period stopping only for group activities and guided practice. I would never mark in class since the kids usually needed guidance and help.

Teaching taught me to be a lifelong learner and I generally liked most of my bosses and co-workers.  I now know that the hardest part of my job went neglected, namely co-worker relationships.  By working too hard for the classroom (kids) I alienated some of my co-workers.
I now know that the trust I build with kids I should have built with all fellow teachers.

The most enjoyable part of my life in teaching is the ongoing knowledge recognition and remediation of my mistakes has made me a better person both at home and at work.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Teacher 21 salaries reported	$81,288 per year
Elementary school teacher 6 salaries reported	$86,500 per year
High school teacher 4 salaries reported	$94,500 per year
Substitute teacher 5 salaries reported	$63,801 per year
English teacher 5 salaries reported	$76,400 per year

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