May 2010
May 2010, Issue 49
Your College and You
Thank you for your interest in receiving breaking
news and professional information from the Ontario College of Teachers.
In this Issue:
No More 194 Days, Streamlined Certificates and New AQs
Thanks to input from teachers like you during four years of extensive consultations, we've made sweeping changes to the Teachers' Qualifications Regulation that will affect your certificate and the courses you take. Teachers gave us feedback and these are the changes the profession asked for.
We've streamlined teaching certificates, reducing the number from six to two. You will find the new system is simpler and more transparent.
If you completed your teacher education outside Ontario, you will no longer need 194 days of Ontario teaching experience to achieve permanent certification. This reduces barriers for teachers from other provinces or countries.
The profession's help and advice assisted us in revamping additional qualification (AQ) courses. We've introduced AQs that reflect what our profession needs for the 21st century.
You will have a choice of 64 new technological education courses that make up a new Schedule F. You will be able to take a new, three-course specialist Kindergarten program and a full-year program for teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
To learn more about the new Teachers' Qualifications Regulation and how it helps prepare teachers for the classrooms of tomorrow, see new certificates explained.
Top of page
Toronto Star Public Editor Delivers Keynote at Annual Meeting of Members
The Toronto Star's Kathy English discusses how the public perceives self-regulation, public accountability and transparency in the teaching profession at the College's Annual Meeting of Members on June 3.
As well, College Chair Liz Papadopoulos, OCT, and Registrar Michael Salvatori, OCT, are providing short reports on the College's 2009 activities and fielding questions from College members.
This is the first time that the annual meeting has featured a guest speaker. As Public Editor, English serves as a liaison between the Star and its readers, in print and online. She is both reader advocate and guarantor of accuracy.
English began her journalism career at the Brantford Expositor in 1976 and was a Star reporter and feature writer from 1983-89. She has reported and edited for the Hamilton Spectator, the London Free Press, the Toronto Sun and the Globe and Mail.
She taught newspaper journalism at the Ryerson School of Journalism for 10 years, launched web sites for two Canadian media companies and holds a master's degree in Canadian history.
English is a member of the ethics committee of the Canadian Association of Journalists and the programming committee of the Canadian Journalism Foundation. She serves on the board of the Organization of Newspaper Ombudsmen and spent five years on the National Newspaper Awards board.
Don't miss the chance to hear Kathy English and ask her questions at this year's Annual Meeting of Members. Join us at 5:30 pm on Thursday, June 3 at the Ontario College of Teachers on the 6th floor. A reception will follow in the members' lounge.
Annual Meeting of Members
Thursday, June 3,
5:30 p.m.
Ontario College of Teachers
121 Bloor Street East, 6th floor
Toronto, ON M4W 3M5
Top of page
Your Library - Books, Videos...and Much, Much More
What's your interest? Curriculum development and assessment, pre-service and in-service training, standards of practice, learning styles, special education, mentoring?
We have extensive materials on all these topics and many more… and College members can access our full range of services from anywhere in Ontario.
To access services exclusive to members, sign in to the Members' Area. We're here to support your professional development.
Search our online catalogue of more than 7,000 items. After you're logged in, you can request books or videos from the search results page. They'll be in the mail to you within two business days, sent directly to your home or school address – free of charge. You can even mail books back to us postage-free.
E-mail library@oct.ca to request a literature search. We'll search full-text databases through ProQuest and e-mail you the articles.
Visit in person and you'll have in-house access to:
- full text databases, including Canadian Newsstand, CBCA Education, Proquest Education Journals and Research Library
- decisions of the Discipline Committee
- about 200 professional journals in paper copy
- government documents, including Ontario curriculum documents and Statistics Canada publications
- newspapers, both in print form and online several work stations with Internet access.
More information regarding the library and its resources or e-mail library@oct.ca.
Olivia Hamilton
Ontario College of Teachers
Margaret Wilson Library
121 Bloor St. E.
Toronto ON M4W 3M5
Phone: 416-961-8800 ext. 679 or 1-888-534-2222 ext. 679
Fax: 416-961-8822
Top of page
Your membership card can provide you with discounts
at stores and attractions throughout Ontario.
More Great Discounts for OCTs
The list of organizations offering free admission and discounts across
Ontario keeps growing.
Recent examples include:
Your membership card provides proof that you are a professional teacher
licensed to teach in Ontario's publicly funded schools.
Be sure to show your card when you're purchasing supplies or visiting
major attractions. Many book sellers, museums, zoos and office supply
stores provide discounts to teachers.
For a complete list of organizations that offer discounts to members,
see www.oct.ca.
If you visit an attraction that's not on our discount list, you might
ask them to consider participating in our discount program. Organizations
can e-mail discounts@oct.ca for
more information.
Top of page
Your College And You
If you do not wish to continue receiving Your
College And You, change
your profile in the Members' Area.
If you wish to reply to this message, please
provide your name and registration number so that we can provide
an accurate and detailed response.
