The wife is thinking about what kind of career she'd like when we eventually get to Canada. She's always wanted to teach Art and has a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. Over here she would have to do a PGCE and very nearly did at one point. What's the requirements in Canada? Presumably she'd need to do an equivalent course? Is there any learn on the job style courses like they seem to be offering here now? Would her UK obtained degree be acceptable to get into teaching in Canada?

Any pointers/links welcome. If it varies by province, then we're probably looking at Ontario (or maybe Alberta). I've looked in the wiki (to avoid a smack down from Judy) and can't see anything obvious....

Thanks in advance.

Hi there,

Your wife will need to complete a teacher training programme similiar to a PGCE. B.C. does not offer any on the job training programmes such as the UK. They also do not recognise any from the UK either. If your wife has completed her BA in the UK she will most likely need to upgrade her qualifications before she can apply to a teacher training programme. From my knowledge all programmes in BC require a min. of a 4 year Bachelor degree so she will need to upgrade the one year. Also most if not all teachers are required to have completed 6 credits (or 30 UK credits of English Literature) and usually some university level math courses. The best people to contact would be the education departments at the local universities (UBC and SFU). They will be able to advise your wife.

Good luck

At the University of Calgary, Education can be a two year degree after program.

Sounds very similar to what your wife would have done in the UK.

Don't know the programs in other provinces but they do vary somewhat.

Cheers
Steve

Teaching qualifications really do vary by province, so I would probably look into the Ministry of Education for each province to see how they differ. In fact, I would probably suggest researching the universities nearest to where you might move to, as your wife would likely need to go back for an extra year.

Usually on university websites they would state what qualifications are needed in order to enter the teaching program. I would even contact the universities and in time make an advising appointment to see if she has all the prerequisites and appropriate credits.

I know the situation in BC rather well. Teachers need their Bachelors (4 years) and a certain amount of credits in particular subjects. How many credits they need per subject is highly dependent on what age group they hope to teach, and what subjects they hope to teach. In addition to their Bachelors, they need to obtain a Bachelors of Education/Pedagogy, available at UBC and SFU respectively, both are 12 month training programs in which you either pass or you fail. Unfortunately the price for these 12 month programs are the same price as a 4 year degree. You're looking at around $15,000-$18,000 for one year.

Once you have graduated from the 12 month course, you have a secondary Bachelors degree in Education/Pedagogy and can then legally teach, assuming you can find a job. Many teachers are in demand in BC, such as French Immersion, math or science teachers. Other teachers, like social studies, English, or kindergarten teachers, are not in demand and may spend up to 3-4 years as a substitute teacher before they're able to find a permanent position.

What I have told you so far is for the public (state) school system, which is the majority of schools. I am very unfamiliar with the private school system and what qualifications they're looking for. They might not be as strict.

I have no idea what the situtation is like in Ontario, although I believe Alberta's very similar to BC in regards to what one needs before one qualifies as a teacher. I know that the University of Alberta in Edmonton offers that teaching degree.

Thanks for the advice so far - sounds quite difficult to get into, even more so than here.... (and they'd even pay you to do it over here!).

Had a look at the requirements for the University of TO for example :-

http://www1.oise.utoronto.ca/depts/c...missions03.htm

Seems quite steep, especially for Visual Arts!

This requirement seems a bit specific :-

"satisfactory evidence of freedom from tuberculosis (required by the Ontario College of Teachers)"

Take a badger into the interview with you?

Teaching is a heavily unionised profession, Seniority is everything (above and beyond skill and ability) and getting into a position is a hard slog. Even for Canadian teachers! Exceptions are maths & teaching in remote communities or so I'm told by the Mrs. (Who is Canadian with two teaching degrees!)

The upside is that it pays considerably better than teaching - Primary teaching at least - than in the UK.

In Calgary and possibly Alberta in general I would add science, at least at the high school level.