Ontario teachers certifiate
Apr 18th 2007, 5:40 pm
#46
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: BC
Posts: 295
Re: Ontario teachers certifiate
I am new to this thread and I thought I'd give you my 2 cents' worth.
I moved here 6 years ago from Bristol as a PGCE qualified teacher (French/German) I was lucky to already be a Canadian citizen before arriving.
I started teaching in a private school here in Toronto who immediately recognised my PGCE (as well as my French CAPES) qualifications. You do not need to be Canadian-trained in order to teach in private school in Ontario, though knowing the right people and performance in interviews will help.
I applied to become a member of the OCT (in order to join the Teachers' Pension Plan) and it took a great deal of paperwork and patience before I was accepted. They recognised my PGCE without a problem.
Last year, I decided to leave the private system and join the TDSB (Toronto District School Board) Tons more paperwork, but they accepted my PGCE without a question. Be armed with patience and a willingness to politely push for details and to speak with supervisors if necessary. Usually, the OCT and TDSB phone lines are answered by receptionists only. They will take down your details and questions and you MIGHT get a call back. Insist, insist, insist.
Once in the TDSB, you have to deal with the OSSTF (teachers' union) in order for your pay to be determined (years of experience - including foreign - and qualifications) More paperwork. More patience needed.
Happy ending - I am now teaching in a public school which I completely enjoy. Yes, the system is different from England - with its advantages and disadvantages.
It was a huge headache to get here, but my experience moving and working all around the globe has taught me that it's the same story everywhere. (Try renewing a British passport from Boston!)
Countries like Canada with huge immigrant flows will have lots of bureaucracy. Arm yourself with patience and consider yourself lucky you aren't immigrating under life-threatening conditions (although another year of Cilla Black may well have pushed me over the edge!!)
I moved here 6 years ago from Bristol as a PGCE qualified teacher (French/German) I was lucky to already be a Canadian citizen before arriving.
I started teaching in a private school here in Toronto who immediately recognised my PGCE (as well as my French CAPES) qualifications. You do not need to be Canadian-trained in order to teach in private school in Ontario, though knowing the right people and performance in interviews will help.
I applied to become a member of the OCT (in order to join the Teachers' Pension Plan) and it took a great deal of paperwork and patience before I was accepted. They recognised my PGCE without a problem.
Last year, I decided to leave the private system and join the TDSB (Toronto District School Board) Tons more paperwork, but they accepted my PGCE without a question. Be armed with patience and a willingness to politely push for details and to speak with supervisors if necessary. Usually, the OCT and TDSB phone lines are answered by receptionists only. They will take down your details and questions and you MIGHT get a call back. Insist, insist, insist.
Once in the TDSB, you have to deal with the OSSTF (teachers' union) in order for your pay to be determined (years of experience - including foreign - and qualifications) More paperwork. More patience needed.
Happy ending - I am now teaching in a public school which I completely enjoy. Yes, the system is different from England - with its advantages and disadvantages.
It was a huge headache to get here, but my experience moving and working all around the globe has taught me that it's the same story everywhere. (Try renewing a British passport from Boston!)
Countries like Canada with huge immigrant flows will have lots of bureaucracy. Arm yourself with patience and consider yourself lucky you aren't immigrating under life-threatening conditions (although another year of Cilla Black may well have pushed me over the edge!!)
Yep, totally agree with this good post from the new poster. I, too, came armed with years of experience, a PGCE and the usual degree, though I was also fortunate enough to have completed a 4 yr degree including a year spent in Germany as part of it. It took lots of patience, phones calls, the occasional letter and my insistence that I should speak with a supervisor, or at least someone with whom I could debate the need for the mountain of bureaucracy, before making further progress.
It didn't end with my being granted a teaching certificate either. I then had to go through a similar process to get on the correct salary scale and then provide the school district I now work for much of the same information yet again! All in all, bureaucracy is a necessity, albeit it a time-consuming and extremely frustrating one. Once I got an interview and a foot in the door, it was all about networking after that. I just talk a lot these days, just in case someone might be listening ....
Sid
Jun 13th 2007, 10:09 am
#47
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2007
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 357
Re: Ontario teachers certifiate
Yep, totally agree with this good post from the new poster. I, too, came armed with years of experience, a PGCE and the usual degree, though I was also fortunate enough to have completed a 4 yr degree including a year spent in Germany as part of it. It took lots of patience, phones calls, the occasional letter and my insistence that I should speak with a supervisor, or at least someone with whom I could debate the need for the mountain of bureaucracy, before making further progress.
It didn't end with my being granted a teaching certificate either. I then had to go through a similar process to get on the correct salary scale and then provide the school district I now work for much of the same information yet again! All in all, bureaucracy is a necessity, albeit it a time-consuming and extremely frustrating one. Once I got an interview and a foot in the door, it was all about networking after that. I just talk a lot these days, just in case someone might be listening ....
Sid
It didn't end with my being granted a teaching certificate either. I then had to go through a similar process to get on the correct salary scale and then provide the school district I now work for much of the same information yet again! All in all, bureaucracy is a necessity, albeit it a time-consuming and extremely frustrating one. Once I got an interview and a foot in the door, it was all about networking after that. I just talk a lot these days, just in case someone might be listening ....
Sid
I have been granted a letter of eligibility with BCCT and am told that i will be granted an iterim certificate to teach once in BC. Can you please tell me what sort of qualifications you had in special needs. I work with children who are classed as having emotional and behavioural disorders and i am in the process of acquiring a qualification in special needs. Also, where are these jobs in special needs would a non-Canadian be considered for these jobs. What would be the best way forward and are they still posts that are difficult to fill.
Thanks
Ruby
Jun 14th 2007, 3:26 am
#48
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 156
Re: Ontario teachers certifiate
LouSid,
I have been granted a letter of eligibility with BCCT and am told that i will be granted an iterim certificate to teach once in BC. Can you please tell me what sort of qualifications you had in special needs. I work with children who are classed as having emotional and behavioural disorders and i am in the process of acquiring a qualification in special needs. Also, where are these jobs in special needs would a non-Canadian be considered for these jobs. What would be the best way forward and are they still posts that are difficult to fill.
Thanks
Ruby
I have been granted a letter of eligibility with BCCT and am told that i will be granted an iterim certificate to teach once in BC. Can you please tell me what sort of qualifications you had in special needs. I work with children who are classed as having emotional and behavioural disorders and i am in the process of acquiring a qualification in special needs. Also, where are these jobs in special needs would a non-Canadian be considered for these jobs. What would be the best way forward and are they still posts that are difficult to fill.
Thanks
Ruby
Hi Ruby,
You need to check with the BCCT to determine what qualification they would accept in special needs, as different provinces have different requirements. From my knowledge you will need to have a least one year full-time studies or a Masters Degree in special needs to be certified in BC. This province seems to be more rigid than say Ontario. I did notice that the Vancouver School Board was accepting applicants that had completed 50% of the program.
Good luck
Jun 14th 2007, 8:28 am
#49
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2007
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 357
Re: Ontario teachers certifiate
Hi Ruby,
You need to check with the BCCT to determine what qualification they would accept in special needs, as different provinces have different requirements. From my knowledge you will need to have a least one year full-time studies or a Masters Degree in special needs to be certified in BC. This province seems to be more rigid than say Ontario. I did notice that the Vancouver School Board was accepting applicants that had completed 50% of the program.
Good luck
You need to check with the BCCT to determine what qualification they would accept in special needs, as different provinces have different requirements. From my knowledge you will need to have a least one year full-time studies or a Masters Degree in special needs to be certified in BC. This province seems to be more rigid than say Ontario. I did notice that the Vancouver School Board was accepting applicants that had completed 50% of the program.
Good luck
Jun 14th 2007, 5:25 pm
#50
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: BC
Posts: 295
Re: Ontario teachers certifiate
LouSid,
I have been granted a letter of eligibility with BCCT and am told that i will be granted an iterim certificate to teach once in BC. Can you please tell me what sort of qualifications you had in special needs. I work with children who are classed as having emotional and behavioural disorders and i am in the process of acquiring a qualification in special needs. Also, where are these jobs in special needs would a non-Canadian be considered for these jobs. What would be the best way forward and are they still posts that are difficult to fill.
Thanks
Ruby
I have been granted a letter of eligibility with BCCT and am told that i will be granted an iterim certificate to teach once in BC. Can you please tell me what sort of qualifications you had in special needs. I work with children who are classed as having emotional and behavioural disorders and i am in the process of acquiring a qualification in special needs. Also, where are these jobs in special needs would a non-Canadian be considered for these jobs. What would be the best way forward and are they still posts that are difficult to fill.
Thanks
Ruby
Been busy with end of term stuff, you know the score. Different country, same exam stresses ...
Anyway, the interim standard certificate is granted if you have the three years degree plus a PGCE. If you have 4 yrs plus PGCE they'll grant you the professional certificate instead. The difference between the certifcation is basically salary. With an interim, I believe, you'll get onto scale 4. Professional = scale 5 and if you have professional status + masters (or some other additonal qualification recognised by the BCCT and Teacher Qualification Service - TQS), you'll qualify for the scale 5+15 category. After this there's a scale 6 for PHDs and something else. The vast majority are on scale 5.
My quals were finally recognised but I will need to pick up an extra few credits to maintain my 'professional' certificate - however, I have five years in which to do it. I plan on a masters in some discipline or other next year. This will put me on sclae 5+15 and that, at the top end, means around $70k+.
The special needs issue: I taught in a sped capacity in my UK school prior to leaving for over a year (I'd taught for 13 anyway) and was able to use the experience as a foot in the door over here. There seems to be a demand and shortage of Sped trained teachers. I don't have a formal qualification but might pursue one as I'll always have a position somewhere with it. This said, I'm in the fortunate position of almost gaining my 'continuing' status - this means I will have worked for a full year (200 days) for the same district. Once you get continuing, you're set forever and will be practically guaranteed full time work and status til pension. I don't recall this sort of thing in the UK. I have a couple of months to go to reach that milestone.
Your SPED background (or intention to follow that route) will be welcome news here in BC - depending on which district you work for. I work for no 42 in Maple Ridge. I started as a TOC for a part-time assignment including Sped and Portfolio and within two months got myself in the same school working in a full time role. I've been very fortunate, I guess, but I did tell people I wasn't one to just take no or give up when the first door was slammed in my face. Keep at it, talk to people, pop into schools, call the BCCT and get to speak with an actual assessor. Persist, persist, persist. There were times that I thought of telling people to stuff it - how dare they question my status, professionalism and experience! But then I quickly realised I am new, have to play by all the same rules and have to see it from another perspective. When I'm asked for ID of any kind, I offer it immediately or take time to get the required documentation ... a pain? You betcha, but worth the full time status and growing comfort factor in work-BC.
Take care. PM anytime.
Cheers,
Lousid
