Improving Learning

Being professional entails constantly growing, learning, and accumulating knowledge and skills that improve who we are as practitioners.

A teachers' first inclination is to ask questions and help others. It's innate. That curiousity fuels our capacity to grow, improve and apply what we learn to help our students achieve. And collectively, we are at an advantage.

As Ontario Certified Teachers, we have access to pedagogical and practical treasures — information, wisdom, expertise and examples that can bolster the support we provide to students.

The College supports the enhancement of professionalism in several key ways — through the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession, Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession, and the Professional Learning Framework. In addition, the College offers free access to our library, develops Additional Qualification (AQ) course guidelines, and issues professional advisories. These resources invite deep reflection on one's professional knowledge and guide one's practice with respect to innovations, changes, and relevant topics and situations that are emerging in teaching and learning today.

When we collaborate to create AQ guidelines, for example, we consult with the profession, the public, students and education providers. We consider new ways of learning and innovative digital resources. And we consider how they align with the Ontario curriculum while addressing current needs in Ontario classrooms.

Consider mathematics education, for example. The College supports teacher learning and knowledge by developing guidelines for Additional Qualification courses. We have accredited seven courses, organized in six schedules (A, B, C, D, E and F), that are part of the Teachers' Qualifications Regulation. These courses enable teachers to critically:

• inquire into mathematical concepts and strategies that support student learning;
• explore cross-curricular learning that incorporates critical thinking in mathematics; and
• investigate mathematical high-yield instructional and learning strategies to deepen understanding and improve student knowledge and learning.

It's the College's mandate to set and administer the requirements for entry to practice and, by law, that now includes a Mathematics Proficiency Test. As well, we embrace working closely with partner organizations to assist teachers in ways that ultimately improve learning for Ontario students.

I look forward to working with you to strengthen our relationships and advance teacher professionalism in the province for the ultimate benefit of our students. To learn a little more about me, please see a short biography.