We are a registered workers' co-operative in Tkaronto “Toronto”. We adhere to provincial legislation to ensure the consistent operation of our school. This includes the Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act, privacy laws, and the Ontario Employment Standards Act.

Orange Blossom Education Co-operative was officially incorporated on May 13th, 2025. However, the core members of OBE have been active since December 2023.

Our donation log is available on our "About Us" page and here. We focus on supporting verified campaigns for Palestinian families, mutual aid groups within the Palestinian community, and initiatives led by the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. We are also in the process of repaying a loan that covered a family's evacuation costs.

OBE was founded by language teachers and educators who wanted to create better standards in the industry while using their teaching skills to help important causes. Our love and professional knowledge are reflected in the quality of our courses.

We also make sure that our instructors earn fair wages, and any extra money we make (after covering our operating costs) will be donated.

Each language course includes 20 hours of structured language learning, 20 hours of seminars that are led by academics, community organizers and student researchers. In the seminars, we discuss social issues, history, politics, literature, art, and linguistics—especially how language connects to society and its speakers.

In addition, you’ll receive 20 hours of help sessions, optional homework plus feedback. You can also join our Discord community where we address language learning related questions and share learning resources.

A language course typically lasts 10 weeks. A content course typically lasts 8 weeks. If a class is canceled, we will extend the course by the same amount of time, scheduling the makeup session on the same recurring date.

Homework will be provided, but it is completely optional. Our instructors will offer feedback to students who choose to complete their homework. We understand that life can be challenging and busy, which means that there may not always be enough time. However, consistent practice outside of the limited classroom hours will ensure steady progress.

No. We practice the principle of ungrading and differential learning.

“Ungrading” is a practice that emphasizes detailed feedback related to course learning goals, instead of assigning a letter grade. It focuses on “grading for growth,” aiming to enhance students' knowledge and skills. Sometimes instructors may ask students to complete a self-assessment upon completion of a course.

“Differential learning” acknowledges each student's distinct background, experiences, culture, language, personality, interests, and attitudes towards learning. Instructors will modify and diversify their learning activities to accommodate the varying needs of students.

If you have indicated prior learning experience with a language on your application form and you’re not sure about which course to take, we will contact you to discuss which level would be suitable for you.

We currently accept only adult learners who are 18 years old and older.

In addition to 2 hours of classroom learning per week, we also offer help sessions. We encourage students to spend additional time reviewing and previewing the content at their own pace, using their preferred studying methods. It's important for students to take ownership of their learning.

All classes are conducted online. The number of enrolled students per course can range from 8 to 25, depending on the course content.

If you are interested in scheduling online one-on-one lessons, please contact us. We also hope to provide in-person group lessons in Tkaronto ("Toronto") in the future!

Since students have different learning needs and preferences, we strive to diversify our teaching methods. You may encounter a variety of approaches used in a single class or just a few, depending on the learning objectives.

We provide sliding scale options for all courses. Students can contribute as much as they wish and are able to. If you need further accommodation, please email us <contact.us@orangeblossomeducation.ca>

You will receive a full refund for any course fees you've already paid if:

1. The course has not started yet;

2. You have found out that there are no courses that suit your current level during the first week.

If you wish to withdraw from a course that has already begun, please contact us within 7 days from the start date of the first class. Please note:

• Full course fees are non-refundable after 7 days from the start of the first class. Please submit a refund request to <contact.us@orangeblossomeducation.ca>

• We will not be able to process ANY refund requests once a course has been running for 14 days. This is because we launch courses based on the number of students enrolled in a course, and we have to budget for instructors’ pay and donations to Palestinian families accordingly.

• In rare cases where a student miss out on 75% of the classes due to unforeseeable circumstances, we will invite the student to join another course of equivalent value at a later date. Students are allowed to re-enroll ONCE in a different course.

Refunds will be issued to your original method of payment. Kindly allow a minimum of two weeks for processing, though processing times may be longer during peak periods.

We will issue a full refund provided that it’s NOT a donation course where course fees are directly donated to Palestinian families, aid networks or other initiatives.

Please be aware that for courses conducted in collaboration with mutual aid initiatives, charities, or non-profit organizations, you'll be asked to donate your course fees directly to the beneficiaries (e.g., to Palestinian families with urgent needs in Gaza). In these cases, course fees are non-refundable.

If a course is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, students will be invited to join another offering or another course of equivalent value at a later date.

Please contact us if you find your current course too easy or too difficult. We will do our best to help accommodate you. Please submit your request before the 14th day, starting from the first class.

​​​​​​​All learning materials will be provided by the instructor.

We're going to send invitations to students who have registered to join our Discord server. This server is a place where teaching assistants or instructors host help sessions.

Students and teachers can also share study materials, ask questions, and organize study groups on the OBE Discord server.

Our goal is to build an active learning community where language learners feel supported and connected.

Unfortunately we CANNOT issue charity donation receipts, since we are a worker-cooperative.

We cannot issue any tax certificate for education credits as we are not an institution.

If you need a certificate of completion please send us an email <contact.us@orangeblossomeducation.ca>, and let us know the full name you’d want to use for the certificate.

OBE has a zero-tolerance policy against doxxing, bullying, harassment, threats, slander, or defamation of any kind. This expectation applies to all participants, OBE staff and instructors. This commitment is fundamental to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, staff, and instructors, and to consistently operating our school. Our goal is to continue generating funds to support Palestinian families and mutual aid groups within the Palestinian community.

Here are our classroom rules and expectations:

1. Treat all participants, OBE staff and instructors with respect, and do not bully or harass anyone.

2. Do not record any classes or share other participants' information.

3. Do not be disruptive in classes and OBE Discord server.

4. Do not deliberately share misinformation about anyone associated with OBE, or OBE itself.

5. Do not share the class meeting link or password with anyone.

6. Do not publish any class materials without obtaining consent from OBE.

Violation of any of these rules might result in removal from a course and possibly legal consequences.

Please check the Job Postings page if you’re interested in teaching with us.

We currently offer short-term contracts at the standard rates of:

• 2500 - 3500 CAD (pending on the number of enrolled students) per 24 teaching hours, 3-month contract, for a language course

• 1800 CAD per 12 teaching hours, 3-month, for seminars

• Rates are subject to adjustment based on the CAD-USD exchange rate to protect instructors from potential losses due to currency fluctuations.

We are actively working towards creating full-time teaching positions for our current instructors. As a co-operative just seven months into our journey, we must also prioritize our core commitment of donating net proceeds to support Palestinian families and mutual aid groups. We appreciate your understanding as we balance these important goals.

We offer membership to our existing full-time instructors. All prospective members must be formally voted in, as required by the Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act. The relevant clauses governing this process and the responsibilities of a member are listed below.

Employment requirements

(1.1) For the purposes of the definition of “worker co-operative” in subsection (1), this subsection is satisfied if,

(a)  at least 75 per cent of the permanent full-time employees are members of the co-operative;

(b)  at least 75 per cent of all employees are members of the co-operative; or

(c)  the alternative requirements prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this clause, relating to the proportion of employees that must be members of the co-operative are satisfied.  1992, c. 19, s. 1 (2).

Permanent full-time employees

(1.2) For the purposes of clause (1.1) (a), an employee is not a permanent full-time employee if,

(a)  the employee is employed for a probationary period of one year or less;

(b)  the employee is employed under a contract for a term of two years or less; or

(c)  the employee’s regular hours of work are less than fifteen hours per week.  1992, c. 19, s. 1 (2).

Applicants for membership

(2) No person shall become a member of a co-operative until the person’s application for membership has been approved by the directors and the applicant has complied fully with the by-laws governing admission of members.  R.S.O. 1990, c. C.35, s. 61 (2).

We have both Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic-speaking team members who work together to maintain contact with the families. Some families have been in touch with us since October 2023, while others have been referred by other organizations.

If you are currently seeking help, we sincerely apologize but we are at full capacity. We are a small team and are unable to handle the high volume of inquiries. Should our capacity change, we will reach out to you.