September 2009, Issue 4
The Public Interest: Issue 4
The Public Interest 
Thank you for your interest in news from the
Ontario College of Teachers.
In this issue :
Ontario Teachers Get New Professional Designation
Beginning this fall, teachers and school and district school board
leaders in publicly funded schools and school systems across Ontario
will join the vast majority of other practising professionals in Ontario.
They will have a new professional designation.
The Council of the Ontario College of Teachers will award OCT – or
Ontario Certified Teacher – as a designation to all members in
good standing. In French, the title is EAO, for enseignante agréée
de l'Ontario (female) or enseignant agréé de l'Ontario
(male).
The designation is a tool that helps teachers and school and district
school board leaders convey to parents and the public that they have
specialized teaching knowledge and skills and that they belong to a
community of professionals whose work is guided and informed by the
profession's standards of practice and ethical standards.
Although new to Ontario teachers – and a first for teachers across Canada – the idea of a professional designation isn't new to professionals.
Of the 32 regulatory bodies surveyed by the College, 28 already have professional designations. You're familiar with many of them – for example, CA for Chartered Accountants, RN for registered nurses and PEng for professional engineers.
The designations become part of everyday conversations when used to discuss a specific discipline. They are also symbols of accountability. Only those who are certified and qualified members of the College (according to Ontario's Education Act, a teacher is defined as a member of the Ontario College of Teachers) have the privilege to use the designation, provided they maintain their good standing status.
The College will apply the OCT abbreviation to members' certificates of qualification and registration, to its public register (Find a Teacher), to written correspondence, within Professionally Speaking magazine, in electronic newsletters, e-mail, guides, brochures and other documents.
Teachers are encouraged to use the designation on business cards, in notes home to parents, in electronic and paper correspondence, on articles, in presentations and in conversations with the media.
The designation doesn't last a lifetime nor does it apply to all teachers. Those in private and independent schools, for example, are not obligated by law to belong to the College (although many choose to belong voluntarily). Those who voluntarily belong to the College and who are in good standing will be eligible to use the designation. Those who do not belong to the College will not.
College members who resign, retire, don't pay their fees or whose teaching certificates have been suspended or revoked as a disciplinary measure are not allowed to use the professional designation. The College will use all disciplinary and legal means against those who use the designation fraudulently.
So look for the mark of professionalism in teaching – OCT.
For more information on the designation, visit www.oct.ca.
To see the qualifications of every OCT holder, please see Find a Teacher.
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2008 Annual Report Provides Statistical Picture of Ontario's Vibrant Teaching Profession
Where in the world do College members come from? How are they qualified? What are the most popular College-accredited courses our members take for their professional development?
Visit Professionalism in Teaching, our 2008 online annual report, and find a broad statistical picture of Ontario's vibrant teaching profession.
With just the click of a mouse, the College's expanded statistical information gives you access to detailed information regarding teachers in the province – key demographic data, teacher qualifications, and where and how Ontario teachers are educated.
The College's annual report also provides you with video-recorded messages from former Council Chair Don Cattani and Registrar Brian McGowan, committee reports, and resources.
The interactive online report is a timely, environmentally responsible and cost-effective way for the College to provide you with access to current information on the teaching profession.
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Council Chooses Chair, Vice-Chair
Liz Papadopoulos
Liz Papadopoulos is the Chair of the fifth Council of the Ontario College of Teachers. Papadopoulos is a Grade 8 and Special Education teacher with the Toronto DSB.
She began teaching in 1991 and has taught students from kindergarten through Grade 8. She holds specialist qualifications in English as a Second Language and in Physical and Health Education.
Papadopoulos returns to Council after a three-year hiatus. From 2000 to 2006 she served as Investigation Committee Chair, Accreditation Appeal Committee Chair, Finance Committee vice-chair, Election Committee vice-chair and as an Executive Committee member.
She holds a BA from York University and an MSc in Education from Niagara University. Her College registration number is 187328.
Penny Is Vice-Chair
Ruth Ann Penny
Council also chose Ruth Ann Penny as their Vice-chair. Penny recently served as Director of Admissions at Branksome Hall, an independent girls' school in Toronto. She is currently teaching on an occasional basis.
This is Penny's second term on Council. She served as a member of the Standards of Practice and Education Committee and was vice-chair of the Accreditation Committee.
She began teaching in 1976 and has taught in both public and private schools across the province. She began as a kindergarten teacher and went on to teach French and middle school gifted students in English-language schools, and languages and social sciences in French Immersion schools.
She has a BA from McMaster University, a BEd from Laurentian University and an MA from the University of Toronto. Her College registration number is 150717.
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Michael Salvatori - the College's New Registrar and CEO
Michael Salvatori is the new Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the teaching profession's self-governing body.
The North Bay-born teacher, who was the College's Director of Membership Services from 2005 to 2008, came to the College from the London Catholic District School Board where he worked as a vice-principal and principal and taught at both the elementary and secondary levels.
Salvatori taught core French, French immersion and German, and is the author or co-author of numerous French textbooks and teacher resources. He has also taught in France and Italy.
He earned his PhD in Curriculum, Teaching and Learning from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, taught at Glendon College of York University and was jointly appointed to the Faculty of Education and the Department of French Studies.
Michael Salvatori's teaching qualifications are listed on the College web site along with those of all other Ontario certified teachers at Find a Teacher. His registration number is 200020.
Joe Jamieson Appointed Deputy Registrar
Council has appointed the College's Director of Investigations and Hearings, Joe Jamieson, as Deputy Registrar.
During his eight years at the College, Jamieson served as Director of Investigations and Hearings, Director of Standards of Practice and Accreditation and Manager of Intake and Hearings. He was also a program administrator in the both the Professional Affairs and Executive departments.
Prior to joining the College, Jamieson was a Curriculum Consultant and Intermediate Teacher with the Halton Catholic District School Board.
He holds a Masters of Education degree from the University of Toronto, a BA from the University of Waterloo and a diploma in Secondary Education from McGill University. In 2006, Joe completed the Supervisory Officers Qualification Program.
You can find more information about the new Deputy Registrar on the College web site. His registration number is 212953.
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New Home for the College
The
Ontario College of Teachers will have a new home next year.
The College has purchased a majority interest - more than 80,000 square
feet - in a building at 101 Bloor Street West, just west of Bay Street,
in the heart of Toronto's downtown.
Council unanimously approved the $28.7 million expenditure as a move
that makes sound financial sense for the College's future. See Lease
vs. Buy chart.
The College will also work to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) certification for the floors it occupies.
"Energy efficiency is a key feature of the building and in keeping
with the College's commitment to sustainable development," says
Michael Salvatori, the College's Registrar and CEO.
The new location remains central to the general public, College
staff, members and applicants. More than 1,700
members of the public, members and applicants visit the College in
person every month.
Visit www.oct.ca for
more details and photographs.
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