College News

College Focus Groups

This past summer, the College held focus group sessions with its members and the public to gauge their knowledge of the College’s mandate, their preferred topics for professional advisories and their opinions on various communication products and initiatives.

The College conducted these sessions in English and French in Ottawa, Kingston, London, Sudbury, Toronto and St. Catharines. These cities were selected to reflect different geographical regions, demographics and languages.

Each focus group session brought together participants randomly selected from among College members in good standing, as well as parents with children in the public education system.

The engagement process was designed to:

• gather insights into what College members and the public know about the College and how they become informed about the organization;
• identify topics for future professional advisories and better understand which subjects are important to College members and parents and why. (For example, the professional advisory Responding to the Bullying of Students, included in this issue of the magazine, was developed after focus group participants told us that bullying should be the College’s priority in providing guidance to the profession); and
• gather opinions about the College’s current communications products and services to learn how we can refine them to meet our audiences’ needs.

The feedback helps the College’s 37-member governing council and College staff act with increased agility and efficiency in its regulatory role of serving the public interest. By better anticipating arising needs and forthcoming changes on the horizon, Ontario Certified Teachers and the public can both be better served.

Opening Doors

Did you know that the College’s office at 101 Bloor Street West was designed by architect John H. Daniels and was built in the postmodern design?

In honour of the College’s 20th anniversary, it took part in the 18th annual Doors Open Toronto event last May, which provides free and rare public access to 150 of Toronto’s most architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings.

More than 400 people visited the College, where they learned more about who we are, what we do and how we set the standard for great teaching.

Visitors heard how the College licenses, governs and regulates Ontario’s teaching profession in the public interest. They visited the library, browsed through some of the thousands of teacher resources, learned about the governing process by exploring the hearing rooms, and found out what it takes to become a licensed teacher in Ontario.

They walked through the halls and admired artwork created by students across Ontario. They also stopped to take in the College’s photo montage, which depicts defining moments in its rich history.

College Magazine Wins Awards

Professionally Speaking has once again received international recognition at the 2017 Tabbie Awards, receiving three honours — one Bronze for Department (Great Teaching), and two Top 25 for Best Single Issue (March 2016) and Feature Article (“No Limit to Learning,” March 2016). This is in addition to the national attention the College’s official publication garnered as a finalist in the Trade Magazine of the Year category at the 2017 Editors’ Choice Awards.

Pour parler profession has been enjoying the spotlight too with a nomination in the Professional Article category at the 40th National Magazine Awards, whose mission is to celebrate excellence in Canadian consumer and business publications.

The Tabbies, presented by TABPI (Trade Association Business Publications International), recognize editorial and visual excellence in English-language trade, association and business magazines worldwide. The 2017 Editors’ Choice Awards, presented by the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors, honour the high-quality work of editors within the Canadian magazine industry.