Issue 15
Thank you for establishing
your private account in the Members' Area of the Ontario College of
Teachers' web site and for your interest in receiving breaking news
and professional information from the College.
In
this Issue:
College Releases 2004 State of the Teaching Profession Survey Results
State of the Teaching Profession results from July telephone surveys of College members and members of the public are being released publicly today, Tuesday, September 7, to coincide with the first day of school.
Professionally Speaking/Pour parler profession commissioned public opinion and customer research firm COMPAS Inc. to survey 1,000 College members chosen at random. For the first time, the magazine also asked similar questions of 500 members of the public.
The data reveals soaring confidence among teachers and overwhelming support for their work by the public. Students are better prepared now than they were a generation ago, the public says. Teachers say their biggest concern is the lack of time - to prepare lessons, teach the expected curriculum and to mark. Both groups share common values about the importance of literacy, but differ in their opinions on the validity and use of standardized tests.
Click here for full survey results and copies of the media release and remarks from the Registrar and Council Chair.
Survey samples of 1,000 are deemed accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 while samples of 500 are deemed accurate to within 4.4 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Resignation of Board Member
Bernard Adam, who as served as a member of the College Council for four years, has retired. He was an elected member from the francophone public school boards category.
As well as being Chair of the Discipline Committee, Adam sat on a number of committees, including the Executive Committee, the Registration Appeals Committee, the Professional Learning Committee and the Editorial Board.
In the course of his teaching career, Adam taught French, English, Spanish, business, religion and music at the high school level in Sudbury, Mississauga and Ottawa, as well as at a Canadian Armed Forces base in Germany.
Council Chair Marilyn Laframboise said "We thank Bernard sincerely for his professionalism, dedication and his commitment to the teaching profession. He is a man with good humour, great common sense and has a wonderful way of getting people to work together.''
Council Vacancy
With Adam's departure, the College is now searching for a College member who:
- resides in Ontario
- teaches in an elementary or secondary school that is part of a Francophone public school board, part of a school administration, or part of the Administration des écoles provinciales at the Centre Jules-Léger
- is not currently a school principal, vice-principal, supervisory officer, and does not hold a permanent position in a faculty of education or private school
- is available for Council and committee meetings for the rest of the current term, which ends in April 2006.
If you meet these criteria and would like to join the College Council, send your résumé via e-mail to jperetti@oct.ca or by fax to the attention of the Nominations Committee at 416-961-8822.
The College reimburses Council members' employers for expenses related to their salaries while the member is engaged in Council activities. The College will also reimburse all travel and attendance-related expenses for the selected applicant.
Applications will be accepted until Thursday, October 14, 2004, at 5 p.m.
The Nominations Committee will study each application and make recommendations to Council, which will discuss and approve the appointment.
The appointee will begin his or her duties at the Council meeting on December 9 and 10, 2004.
For more information on the duties related to Council activities, please contact Josie Peretti at
416-961-8800, ext. 212 or toll-free in Ontario at 1-888-534-2222, ext. 212.
Standards Review: What Does It Mean to be a Teacher?
- You respond to your students' needs.
- You understand their capabilities.
- You acknowledge their unique way of learning.
Professional standards mirror the many things that teachers do.
Five years after the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession were developed, the Ontario College of Teachers is reviewing them to ensure that they accurately describe "what it means to be a teacher in Ontario."
The five standards of practice focus on commitment to students and student learning, professional knowledge, teaching practice, leadership and community and ongoing professional learning.
The ethical standards describe the professional values and ethical responsibilities central to the profession.
The College invites you to participate in the review of the standards by completing this short questionnaire.
You may want to review the documents Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession prior to responding to the questionnaire.
By sharing your experience in relation to the standards, you help us to clearly describe the knowledge, values and skills reflected in your everyday practice.
Please respond today. Your input is vital.
Elementary Teachers' Opportunity
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We'd like to bring to your attention a safety-related opportunity that will be of special interest to elementary teachers ... and offers a chance to win a free trip for March Break 2005.
The Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council has created a Fire Prevention Week Campaign aimed at elementary school children and their families, focusing on preventing childhood injuries.
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When you register your elementary class to participate in the campaign, and teach a safety lesson, you have a chance to win a Florida March Break Vacation for Two in 2005, a Toronto Weekend Getaway, 1 of 10 Classroom Pizza Parties, along with other prizes. Visit www.safecommunities.com/teachers for complete details and lesson plans.
