zippadydoda

Just had confirmation that my English Teaching qualifications are NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO TEACH IN ALBERTA!!!!!!!!!

I did a four year BA with Qualified Teacher Status from 1998 to 2002 and have been teaching in England ever since. I gave up my teaching job to come to Canada to provide a better future for my children. If a four year full time course at university is not enough does this mean Canadian Teacher training courses are for five years???????

scrubbedexpat091

Did they tell you what you need in order to be able to teach?

Not sure about Alberta but some places in North America have requirements above just a degree before one can teach.

zippadydoda

The letter states that my three year BA course ( I did 4 years) Only equates to 90 hour semester credits . An Alberta teacher has to obtain a four year 120 semester credits. My university have provided hours of study for each of the four years so I don't know what they have done to arrive at their decision!!

dingbat

BC gave me less credits than that for my first degree. I had to re-do a whole bachelors degree basically, which I did in sixteen months, while working two jobs. This was not teaching however. The four year BC degree was, academically speaking, a joke. Did you not get your degree evaluated before you came? Sorry to hear of yet another one to get caught by this nonsense.

Almost Canadian

I'll second that.

I have just been called to the Bar here 2 1/2 years after arriving in Canada as my qualification wasn't deemed good enough. 18 months after I first started taking exams, I feel that I know less about Canadian law than I did when I first arrived (substantive Canadian law is virtually identical to the substantive law of England and Wales).

It's protectionism pure and simple.

You have to decide whether jumping through their hoops (and then subjecting yourself to their ridiculous "seniority" system) is worth it. If not, you need to retrain in a new profession.

I am amazed that you weren't aware of this before you began your journey.

Best of luck

snoopster

Sorry to hear your news - it stinks doesn't it?

My hubbie was largely in the same position as you - was told he'd have to basically retake a teaching degree as they didn't recognise his teaching quals. here. He was GTP trained though, I thought they went slightly easier on PGCE students.
They went easier on me as I have a B.Ed. - I just have 3 semester hour credits to make up, which I plan to do this coming year.

For all those other posters...you can't get your quals assessed by Alberta Ed until you are a landed immigrant so there isn't a whole lot of ways you can prepare in advance.

Have you thought of other teaching related options? A friend of mine is applying to teach in a High School in spite of no teachers certificate - they are desperate for her partic. subject (something to do with technology) so have told her to apply anyway.
Until my certification is finally approved, I'm doing pre-school work, early years special education support and also some private tutoring (which pays pretty well). It may not be all doom and gloom, you might have to think creatively to still make some use of your training....

zippadydoda

Thanks for that uplifting post. To the other posts, yes I did look into it before I came. Infact I applied to get certification in July 2008 and did not arrive in Canada until Feb 2009. I have had problems all the way through. My university took ages to provide my transripts and in January 2009 I received confirmation over the telephone that they had all the necessary docs. to make a decision.

When I landed in Feb. they then decided they needed my syllabus from my university (which they no longer had!) My degree is also in education. The university changed the course from B.Ed to a four year course which was a BA with Q.T.S. I had been led to believe that they will not even consider PGCE students or G.T.P students and would only recognise people who had completed a four year education teacher traing course.

I am an early years teacher and would like to continue teaching kindergarten or grade 1 if possbile. I wouldn't be quite as frustrated about their decision if it wasn't for the fact that my two children (age 12 and 16) can't believe how easy the work is over here compared to England!!!! They are getting 80 and 90 and even 100 per cent in their assignments and exams. My 12 year old says that all the children in her class are so poor at reading and so very slow compared to what she has been used to.

I am also a little bit unsure of who can qualify to teach here? You can't train to be a teacher in England any other way than already mentioned so looks like we are all doomed!!!!!!! Okay moan over now!!

Almost Canadian

I wasn't being critical of you. I just assumed that all teachers knew that requalifying over here was a nightmare.

Best of luck

Oink

I have taught in teacher ed. in both the states and here. The certification or credentialing systems are basically there to provide a set standards. Which is, a four year BA/BS degree with a fifth year of practical and theoretical study of the system where you're going to be teaching. You need to know about the provincial or state curriculum requirements, mandated policies and the overall pedagogical philosophy of the system. Although I understand your predicament, the system doesn't care if you've taught in Timbuktu or Buckingham Palace, to let you teach here you need to know how they want you to teach.
There will be a process of evaluating your qualifications and you will receive credit form them although probably not as much as you would like. Your only option is the get the extra requirements and then join the teacher pool or not. Good luck either way.

zippadydoda

No I know you were being helpful. Thanks. But its not just teachers it is every profession. Why do they think they are better qualified? My sister is a theatre sister. She had over 20 years experience and had worked in some of the best teaching hospitals in England. She had to sit some ridiculous exam in order to work here.

One of the consultants from UK came to a conference not long ago and a consultant from Edmonton had nothing but praise for him. The consultant from UK had worked with my sister and had nothing but praise for her! Its about time this country started to welcome experienced workers from other parts of the world and treat them with the respect they deserve.

Yasmina2005

Thank you for saying this...I do not know what is their problem:

Identity crisis; protectionism; inferiority complex, xenophobia, etc...

Aviator

The same happens in the UK as well. Many professions cannot just turn up and start work, they have to pass tests or even re-qualify. Each individual may feel they are very good and standards are higher from their home country. However I would not want to be treated by a doctor or represented by a lawyer that had at the least been tested to the standards of the profession in this country.

Many of us have had to go through this, it's just the way it is and is part of the price of immigrating. We had the choice, take the tests or stay in our home country where we're recognised in our chosen profession. Would you want to travel as a passenger in an aircraft where the pilot got his license just because he had a license in another country rather than being tested for competency?

triumphguy

Oink is correct. They aren't evaluating your abilty to speak English or read Jane Austen . They want you to be able to teach the Alberta Ed curriculum in certain ways. To this end there are courses in teaching strategies that you may need, and also practicum hours under the supervision of senior teachers in the classroom setting. So teaching pedagogy, philosophy, styles and strategies are important components to the teaching courses you will need.

To teach in Alberta you need a degree in Education, not a degree in English per se....

I came to Canada with a law degree from King's College London and was taught Contract Law by Prof. A. G. Guest, who edits/ed? Anson's Law of Contract.

I was told my Law degree wasn't good enough and I would have to retake 60% of my degree including Contract Law. Guess which text they were using for contract law? ... Anson's by A. G. Guest! That disgusted me so much I quit Law. A few years later the rules changed and the U of C invited me back. But I thought, "sod'em!" And didn't go.

My liver couldn;'t have handled it anyway - I think I was permanently soused throughout my university career!

geedee

I met a Brit here who is a Ship's Cook. To be a Ship's Cook in the Uk you have to take some fairly rigorous training... not just in cooking, but firefighting, lifesaving etc. You need over a year to get the certificate.

It wasn't good enough for Canada, he had to "re-train".

It took about a week and he said it was the most p1ss poor course he's ever been on... embarrassingly simple..... but the "union" demanded it before he was allowed to work.

It is "protectionism" pure and simple. So much for "free markets"!!

And on a final note... I've had dealings with Canadian Lawyers, Teachers, Accountants.... they're not what I would call 'sharp'!

zippadydoda

Thanks for that post. I was beginning to feel inferior! My self esteem has taken a real bashing so its nice to know I'm not alone. But I think this whole issue ought to be brought to the attention of the Minister for Immigration. He should know how insulting it is to be made to undertake additonal training which is of no benefit.