September 2008
September 2008, Issue 40
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:
Course guidelines
online for your feedback
The College invites your feedback on the guidelines it is
developing for courses leading to more than 60 new or revised
additional qualifications that will be available for teachers.
College members have told us in consultations that these
are the courses they need to keep up with recent developments
in teaching and learning.
Providers are required to follow the criteria outlined in
the guidelines. This ensures that all courses have the same
overall learning expectations and general course components
no matter which provider is offering the course.
We want to hear from you to ensure that the new qualifications
provide the ongoing professional learning that reflects your
needs. Your comments on the draft guidelines will be appreciated.
As initial draft guidelines are completed, they are posted
to the College web site for your feedback. The guidelines
currently available, and a feedback form, can be found on
the College
web site.
Our recently issued professional advisory Additional
Qualifications: Extending Professional Learning 
explains
the purpose of additional qualifications and the important
role they play in a teacher’s ongoing professional learning.
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PQP Survey Online
Would you like to provide input into what prospective school
leaders should be learning in the Principal's Qualification
Program (PQP)? Participate in the College's online
survey and help us to ensure that the program remains
relevant for PQP candidates and other members of the teaching
profession.
The revised guideline will ensure that participants
in the PQP continue to encounter substantially similar learning
expectations from provider to provider.
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Volunteer Opportunity for Accreditation Panels
The College is responsible for accrediting teacher education programs
in Ontario that lead to a teaching licence. Accredited programs
are reviewed on a regular basis by a panel of individuals that
includes members of the College Council, individuals with expertise
in teacher education and members of the profession.
The College is looking for approximately 10 members in 2009
to represent the profession on future panels for upcoming program
reviews.
We need teachers, principals and supervisory officers with a broad
background in education, advanced academic qualifications such
as a master’s degree, leadership experience, demonstrated written
communication skills, and experience in initial teacher education either
as an instructor or an associate teacher, or involvement in in-service teacher
education activities.
If you are interested, please submit a resumé and references
outlining your educational background, qualifications and relevant
experience. We'll keep the information on file for three years
and contact members
who have the experience and expertise we require for a specific
review.
You have the option of submitting your application information
to accreditation@oct.ca or
you can mail it to the College at:
Accreditation Unit
Ontario College of Teachers
121 Bloor Street East
Toronto ON M4W 3M5
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Now More Than 6,500 Resources
For You
It's back to school time and not just the students are hitting
the books.
You can choose from among more than 6,500 education-related
books and videos available in your College's Margaret Wilson
Library.
We will mail books and videos postage-free to your home
or school address. Using a special-return mailing label,
you can mail books back to the library free of charge.
In addition to books and videos, we also have approximately
200 professional journals and many other resources in English
and French. You can search the library database online from
the College web site.
Simply log into your Members'
Area account to request books and videos from the College
library online, check the status of your holds, renew materials
you've checked out and create your own library lists.
You can also request a literature search by library staff,
who will mail, fax or e-mail the journal articles.
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
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College membership card gets you free admission
On Sunday September 21, show your College membership card
and get free admission for you and one guest at the Toronto
Zoo. The Education Centre open house will update teachers on
upcoming events at the zoo. Information: zooanswers@torontozoo.ca.
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Your membership card can provide you with discounts at stores and attractions throughout Ontario.
Use Your Card For More Discounts
The list of organizations offering free admission and discounts
across Ontario keeps growing.
A number of recent examples among the growing list offering
discounts to College members 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 the College web site.
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.
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Your College And You
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