Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Ontario Teacher's College Program

There has been some talk in the last couple years about extending the teacher's college program in Ontario to two years rather than one and cutting the number of students admitted to the program. This is something I was PRAYING for years ago so that when I was a B.Ed grad I actually had a shot of finding a job! It is so unbelievably frustrating that this has gone on for so long.

I did my B.Ed at the University of Ottawa. My class size was huge, we barely fit everyone in our classrooms, and all of our material was so crammed into the semesters that I walked away from every class feeling like there was so much more to learn. And did I mention our actual teaching experience during the program? 9 weeks! Is that really enough to prepare us to start teaching in our own classrooms? By the time I was feeling comfortable and getting the swing of things in my schools it was time to pack up and finish! The program could EASILY be stretched to two years by adding more practicum experience and more pedagogical learning.

Now, as for the number of graduates each year. It simply infuriates me how little jobs there are out there and how hard teachers have to fight to find positions meanwhile the number of teachers being pumped out of the program each year remains the same.

Something is finally going to be done about this I only wish it had happened years ago.

Time for Change

5 comments:

  1. I couldn't agree with you more!
    I did my BEd at Ottawa U too and we were overflowing every classroom, we had some classes that were half in a class and half on-line (to squeeze more people into the program) and 9 weeks is not nearly enough to prepare us to teach.

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  2. I think that unfortunately, teacher's college has turned into a huge money grab. And on the other side of it, too many people go into it as a 'back up plan.' I know of many people who have said, "Oh, I'm applying to physio and chiropractic schools and if I don't get into either, I'll just go to teacher's college." Hopefully by extending it to two years, it'll ween out the people who don't ACTUALLY want to be teachers. And also, I think there should be a more selective process to accepting applicants. If someone doesn't have strong social skills, I'm sorry but maybe teaching isn't the best profession for them, and I think that a simple interview will help to determine that.

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  3. Jenna I totally agree. I actually meant to mention that in my blog and must have forgotten. SO many of me peers in teachers college were there as a fall back. A more selective process is definitely needed. I almost wish there was an interview process. I mean couldn't they make a round of cuts and then interview people before making another round of cuts? I realize with such a large number of students being admitted each year they can't interview that many people but if they started cutting the number of students admitted maybe it would be feasible? I mean, med school applicants get interviewed! What's so different between the two? We're working with people's CHILDREN here.

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  4. I just graduated from UWindsor, and I know that for next the university was sending out emails to people in undergrad practically begging them to come to teacher's college in the fall. The universities simply do not care what the job market looks like (or how many people really want to be teachers), so long as they are able to get their $7000+ from each student who signs up.

    I definitely agree that the program could be spread over 2 years. We had a total of 57 placement days (so just over 11 weeks), and it did seem like every time we started to really feel comfortable and get to know the students and the school it was time to move on. I would also agree that I would leave each class feeling more and more overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I did not know, rather than feeling confident that I was gaining valuable skills and tools for the classroom. Changing the program to 2 years would also put us on par with the other provinces in the country, as I've heard from many faculty that Ont. is the only province that still has a 1-year program.

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  5. Every other province has a 2 year program. Like most of you have said, you just get in and it's time to go. I also have a huge beef with TC in the fact that it is a professional program, and you barely have to do anything. I mean there is work to do, but you can never go to class, slack and still be a TEACHER! someone who shapes the lives of others. Any other professional, engineer, doctor, social worker etc...if you don't do well enough you don't pass! I have been to school with/seen some people who definitely do not belong in this profession but knew someone and are all set. It is extremely frustrating to see people who have no self control/direction get a job in a field that you are responsible for showing young people!

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