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This section provides updates on licensing and qualification requirements, notification of Council resolutions and reports from various Council committees, including reports on accreditation and discipline matters.
The Ontario College of Teachers is looking for qualified and dedicated individuals reflecting Ontario's diversity to govern the teaching profession in the public interest.
The recruitment is a part of the College's legislated transition to a new governance structure that will streamline Council operations. Council will be smaller, allowing for more effective and efficient operations. There will also be dedicated Council and committee members, meaning Council members will only serve on Council, and committee members will only serve on their respective committees. This means that in total, more individuals than ever before will participate in governing the teaching profession. "By enabling more people to take part in our work, we are bolstering the College's long-standing commitment to collaboration and inclusion," says Dr. Derek Haime, OCT, the College's Registrar and CEO.
Council and committee members will be selected from a diverse group of individuals, with attributes and competencies to govern the teaching profession in the public interest.
"Our new governing body will be more inclusive and better reflect and serve Ontario's diverse population, capturing a wide range of expertise, skills, knowledge and perspectives," says Dr. Haime.
Those who apply and serve will have the opportunity to use and grow their professional experience and knowledge in regulation and education.
With more than 100 positions available, the College encourages members of the public and Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs) to apply online and serve on:
If they are selected to serve, OCTs who are employed in public education must be released by their employers to perform the work of the College. In turn, the College reimburses employers for the hiring of temporary replacement teachers.
The application process is open from August 16 to September 30, 2021, and individuals will assume their new roles effective January 1, 2022.
In May, the College sought input from its members and other stakeholders on the implementation of changes recently made to the Ontario College of Teachers Act, including strengthening student protections and the modernization of the College's governance structure.
The consultation was conducted through online surveys and reached more than 1,000 members in English and French, in addition to stakeholder groups from both the regulatory and education sectors.
The survey questions focused on:
Engaging a variety of groups and experts provides the College with a diverse set of views on key elements to help guide policy direction and program implementation.
Recent amendments to the Ontario College of Teachers Act require that information about "any current or previous criminal proceedings involving a member that are relevant to [their] membership" be placed on the College's public register.
The Transition Supervisory Officer has proposed a supporting regulation to the Minister of Education. Once approved, it will require that new information that the College is made aware of appear on the public register.
This includes:
Information would be removed from the public register if the Registrar determines it is no longer applicable or relevant to membership — for example, if findings of guilt are reversed on appeal or the member receives a pardon/record suspension on the member's written request.
From May 1, 2021, to June 15, 2021.
*The provincial government has appointed Paul Boniferro as Transition Supervisory Officer (TSO) to oversee the College's transition to a new governance structure. Boniferro assumes the role of Council and committees until the new structure is in place.
A snapshot of the College's past year.
How did the pandemic affect early-career teachers' employment? What was the most popular AQ in 2020? Find these stats, plus messages from leadership, committee reports and more in the College's 2020 Annual Report, now online.
In his message, Paul Boniferro, the College's Transition Supervisory Officer, focuses on one of the key highlights of the past year: the provincial government's passage of Bill 229 in December. The new legislation means the implementation of College-recommended updates to our operations and governance structure. "The new governance structure will create greater opportunities for College members and members of the public across the province to become involved in the work of the College on panel rosters, committees and Council," says Boniferro.
He adds, "The College's new governance process is in line with what is happening globally, where we are seeing a greater focus on achieving a balance of public and professional representation. This helps to ensure those in Council and committee roles have the appropriate skills and competencies to do the job."
In his Annual Report message, College Registrar and CEO Dr. Derek Haime, OCT, notes that the College's new governance model ensures equal representation for the public and members of the profession on Council and statutory committees. "The newly balanced ratio lets the College tap into diverse expertise and perspectives from across the province, as the College calibrates for the future," says Dr. Haime.
The Registrar's message touches on other significant highlights from the past year, as well, including the College's development of a professional advisory with updated guidelines for maintaining professional boundaries, the launch of a Therapy and Counselling program for victims of sexual abuse or acts of child pornography, and the development of three new Additional Qualification courses and a professional advisory addressing anti-Black racism.
Beyond messages from leadership, the Annual Report also offers updates on activities from each committee, highlights from the latest Transition to Teaching report, and statistical information about Ontario Certified Teachers' demographics, Additional Qualifications and more.
PHOTO: courtesy of speakers' spotlight
The Honourable Murray Sinclair will deliver a keynote address at the College's webinar "Indigenous Ways of Knowing in Teacher Education and Teaching Standards," on November 2, 2021, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Sinclair is Anishinaabe and a member of the Peguis First Nation. He has been involved in the justice system in Manitoba for more than 40 years. He was the first Aboriginal judge appointed in Manitoba and Canada's second. He served as co-chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba and as chief commissioner of Canada's Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As head of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the TRC's widely influential report in 2015. He also oversaw an active multi-million-dollar fundraising program to support various TRC events and activities, and to allow survivors to travel to attend TRC events.
In 2017, Governor General Julie Payette awarded Sinclair and the other TRC commissioners the Meritorious Service Cross (Civilian) (MSC) for service to Canada for their work on the TRC. He retired from the bench in January 2016 and was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016. He retired from the Senate on January 31, 2021, to return to the practice of law and to mentor young lawyers. He is currently writing his memoirs.
Register at oct-oeeo.ca/webinar to hear from the Honourable Murray Sinclair and to learn more about the College's ongoing work to acknowledge the inclusion of Indigenous Ways of Knowing as culturally responsive practices into teacher education, accreditation and Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession. This webinar is open to OCTs, applicants, and members of the public.
The Ministry of Education has recently extended the current deadline to fulfil the Math Proficiency Test (MPT) condition from August 31, 2021, to December 31, 2021, for applicants who have completed an Ontario teacher education program.
Members who currently have until August 31, 2021, to pass the MPT will see a new expiry date on their certificate. They will now have until December 31, 2021, to pass the test.