May Already Have Accumulated Credits  |  College Receiving Applications  |  PLP Letter Generates Reponse  |  Bill Needs Strengthening  |  Acceditation Update  |  Increase in Use of Unqualified Persons  |  Warning Against Lower Standards  | Transition to Teaching   |  Study Confirms Data  |  Margaret Aubé Professional Affairs Co-ordinator  |  Rick Chambers-Professional Learning Program Manager  |   Discipline Decisions

Transition to Teaching

Virtually All Grads Plan To Teach Almost 99 per cent of the graduates of Ontario’s faculties of education plan on a career in teaching, according to an Ontario College of Teachers survey done in 2001. Eighty-nine per cent intend to teach in Ontario. Six per cent plan to teach outside Ontario, at least in their first year, and the remaining four per cent want to defer teaching at least until 2002. By the end of June, more than half (51 per cent) of those planning to teach in Ontario already had their first teaching position. Eighty-nine per cent of these grads said they were satisfied with their job. Fewer than six per cent reported dissatisfaction. The majority, 65 per cent, had probationary teaching contracts, seven per cent were long-term occasional positions, and the remaining 28 per cent reported occasional or other positions. Another 39 per cent of the graduates intending to stay in Ontario reported they were optimistic about finding a teaching position for the first year. Some reported uncertainty with respect to job prospects for September and only seven per cent expressed pessimism about finding a job. Early success in finding jobs crosses divisions of qualifications and language of instruction. Junior-Intermediate qualified graduates led the field with 60 per cent reporting teaching jobs in June, compared with 49 per cent for each of Primary-Junior and Intermediate-Senior graduates, and 55 per cent of those with Technological Studies qualifications. An identical 51 per cent of both French and English-language program graduates had jobs in June. This survey is the first phase of the College’s new study, Transition to Teaching, which is done with encouragement of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation and financial support from the Ministry of Education. The province’s faculties of education mailed the survey to about 6,000 teacher education graduates. More than 2,500 responded, an extremely high rate of return. The survey asked about career plans, early successes in finding teaching jobs and longer-term expectations. Grads Sure About Where They Want to Teach About 83 per cent of Ontario’s newly graduated teachers selected one preference only when they were asked if they wanted to teach in the English, French, Catholic, public or independent school systems. The remainder selected two or more options or indicated they were open to any school setting. The question was part of the teacher education graduate survey done by the Ontario College of Teachers in June. The respondents’ choices reflect the relative size of the school systems. About 68 per cent chose the English public school system, which accounts for 62 per cent of student enrolment. English Catholic school boards are the choice of 25 per cent of graduates, matching their share of student enrolment. Those who selected French school boards represented 5.7 per cent, somewhat more than their four-per-cent share. Private schools appear underserved with 2.8 per cent of the preferences, well below their four per cent enrolment. Many more new teachers, however, are open to teaching either in a private or public school. About two thirds of the graduates choosing to teach first outside Ontario or for an English Catholic school board were the first to find jobs — 67 per cent of each group had jobs by June. Almost as high a percentage (65) headed to private schools had a job by June. Teachers seeking French Catholic school board positions also did well in the early hiring season, with 58 per cent of them employed by June. Graduates whose single preference is an English public school board reported a 44 per cent rate of early job success. Those headed to French public school boards had a 40 per cent rat B l u e    P a g e s    A r t i c l e s You May Already Have Accumulated Credits Towards Your PLP Course Requirements College Receiving Steady Stream of Applications PLP Letter Generates Big Reponse Bill Needs Strengthening Accreditation Update - Lakehead University Faculty of Education Steep Increase in Use of Unqualified Persons in Ontario Classrooms Teacher Shortage Consultation Warns Against Lowering Standards Transition to Teaching Study Confirms Data on Leadership Crunch Ontario Schools Margaret Aubé Named Professional Affairs Co-ordinator Rick Chambers New Professional Learning Program Manager Discipline Panel Decisions

Home | Masthead | Archives From the Chair  |   Registrar's Report  |   Remarkable Teachers  |   Blue Pages News  |   Reviews  |   Calendar  |   Netwatch  |   FAQ  |   Letters to the Editor Ontario College of Teachers 121 Bloor Street East, 6th Floor Toronto  ON M4W 3M5 Phone: 416-961-8800 Toll-free: 1-888-534-2222 Fax: 416-961-8822  http://www.oct.ca info@oct.ca