professional learning series: adult qualifications for teacher candidates

Continuing Education

Additional Qualifications for Teacher Candidates

Faculty of Education, Additional Qualifications for Teachers

What are Additional Qualifications?

• In addition to qualifications received upon graduating from a teacher education program, these courses will be added to candidates’ Certificate of Qualification from the Ontario College of Teachers.

• Go to: www.oct.ca and click on ‘Find a Teacher’ . Enter your OCT number. You will see your Certificate of Qualification


http://www.oct.ca/

Why take Additional Qualifications courses?

• To gain a qualification in another teaching division and therefore improve opportunities for hiring within a panel (elementary or secondary)

• To gain a qualification in another subject area and therefore improve opportunities for hiring

• To move towards another category in the future and a possible increase in pay


What do I do to become a certified teacher with the Ontario College of

Teachers?• Apply online to the Ontario College of Teachers (www.oct.ca

) for certification to teach in Ontario. Apply NOW. Expect to receive certification in the summer.

http://www.oct.ca/

What do I do to register in an AQ course?

• Go to www.uwindsor.ca/aq• Click on the link on the left side bar: ‘How to

Register’• Make sure that you register as a New User.• Cost of the course is dependent on the course you

wish to take.


http://www.uwindsor.ca/aq

What are ABQ and AQ courses?

• ABQ= Additional Basic QualificationsCandidates take these courses in order to get qualified in another DIVISION

• AQ = Additional Qualifications

Candidates take these courses in order to get qualified in

another SUBJECT.

How do I get qualified in another DIVISION?

• Schedule A courses or Additional Basic Qualifications courses are found on the OCT website. This is a course you would take in order to get a qualification in another division.

• For most of these courses, you need to have TWO full university credits in the subject area at the Intermediate level. You need to have FIVE full university credits in the subject at the Senior level.

• So, for example, if you wish to get your Senior Division and you have five full university credits in math, you can take the ABQ Math (Senior)


What are some of the ABQ courses you could take with us?

• We offer some of these courses. You will find these courses at http://www.uwindsor.ca/aq

• Some of these courses are: – ABQ Primary Division– ABQ Junior Division– ABQ Health and Physical Education (Intermediate)– ABQ Religious Education (Intermediate)– ABQ English (Senior)– ABQ Geography/History/Social Science (Senior)– ABQ Math (Senior)


How do I get qualified in another SUBJECT area?

• Schedule D courses are also found under Additional Qualifications in the OCT website.

• You do not need to have any undergrad credits in these subject areas. By taking Part I, for example, of English as a Second Language, you would receive acknowledgement in ESL, Part I on your Certification of Qualification from OCT.

• Although you would be ‘qualified’ to teach ESL, most Boards would like to see a record of having Part II and Specialist in ESL.

What are some of the AQ Schedule D courses you could take with us?

• We offer some of these courses. You will find these courses at http://www.uwindsor.ca/aq

• Some of these courses are: • English as a Second Language, Part 1 • French as a Second Language, Part 1• Guidance and Career Studies, Part 1• Kindergarten• Reading, Part 1• Special Education, Part 1



Best Advice• Look at getting qualified in THREE divisions

• As a teacher with P/J qualifications, think about getting your Intermediate Division. You would then establish more flexibility in placement in an elementary school.

• As a teacher with J/I qualifications, think about getting the Primary Division. You would have your JK-10 qualification and establish flexibility in placement in an elementary school .

• As a teacher with J/I qualifications, think about obtaining a Senior Division. You would be qualified to teach High School in that subject area from grades 9-12. NOTE: Principals want flexibility of placement in a subject area in High School as well.


Best Advice….

• As a teacher with I/S qualifications, think about getting another qualification in another subject area at the Senior Division. You would only need TWO full university credits (and not FIVE) since you already have the Senior Division.

• As a teacher with I/S qualifications, think about getting the Junior Division. You would then be able to expand your possibilities of hiring at the elementary level.


BEST ADVICE….

• By getting three divisions, you would make yourself more marketable as an Occasional Teacher who could be called more often, for example, to do supply work in an elementary school from JK to 8 (because you have the P, J and I divisions)

• If you are a J/I candidate and you obtained your Senior Division, then you can be called to do supply work in a High School from grades 9 to 12.

• Finally, by having three divisions, you would fulfill one of the requirements for taking the Principal’s course


Something to think about…

• Taking ABQ Health and Physical Education (Intermediate) requires NO pre-requisite.

• A P/J teacher candidate can register for this course and get qualified in the Intermediate Division.

• If P/J candidates wish to get their Specialist in Health and Physical Education in the future, and if they have taken the ABQ Health and Physical Education, they are then allowed to go directly into the Schedule D course, Part II provided they have fulfilled the requirement of having taught one year in Ontario.


Something to think about….

• Taking the ABQ in Religious Education (Intermediate) requires NO pre-requisite.

• A P/J teacher candidate can register for this course and get qualified in the Intermediate Division.

• This AQB course is equivalent to the Schedule D, Religious Education, Part 1

• Requirement by the WECDSB: newly ‘hired’ teachers are required to obtain qualification in Part 1 (or ABQ Religious Education) within the first two years of hiring.


Something to think about….• Kindergarten: By taking the Kindergarten course,

candidates can get qualifications in this specific area of JK and SK. Important to note is that the Ministry has mandated full day JK-SK in 2010 and there is likelihood of more teachers required in this area.A

• In March, 2011, Kindergarten will become a 3-Session course and the Primary Division is a requirement to have when taking this course. The current Kindergarten one-session course will be revoked in September, 2011.

• J/I or I/S candidates interested in Kindergarten should think about taking the one-session course now since the Primary Division is not required.

• All candidates who take or have taken the current Kindergarten course will be allowed entrance into the ‘new’ Kindergarten, Part 2 course provided they have one year of successful teaching experience.


Something to think about…• Candidates should think about obtaining qualifications in

subject areas such as the following in order to better prepare themselves for hiring:

English as a Second Language, Part 1French as a Second Language, Part 1 *Reading, Part 1Special Education, Part 1

• J/I candidates should take an ABQ Senior qualification if they wish teach across the secondary panel.

• I/S candidates should take the ABQ Junior Education course in order to receive a third division and in order to allow for more prospect in hiring either as an Occasional Teacher or as a contract teacher.


Courses being offered in Spring 2011

• ABQ Health and Physical Education (Intermediate)• Kindergarten• French as a Second Language, Part I (on site and online)• Special Education, Part I• ABQ, Math (Senior) *• ABQ, English (Senior)*• ABQ Primary Division• Reading, Part 1

NOTE: All AQ co s are accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers.

All courses require 100 hours of mandatory instruction and an additional 25 hours of non-monitored instruction.


ABQ, Health and Physical Education (Intermediate)

• Dates and times:

– May 2 to June 18– Saturdays: 8:00-4:30 (8 hr. sessions)– Mondays: 5:00-9:00 (4 hr. sessions)

• Location: Faculty of Education gym

• Course is taught by a few instructors who are ‘experts’ in their field

• NOTE: No pre-requisite required for this course.


ABQ Health and Physical Education (Intermediate)

• Also offered in the Summer in Wallaceburg

• Three times a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays) for three weeks (July 6 – July 22)

• Plus an additional 30 hrs. of online course work


French as a Second Language, Part 1

• Dates and times: May 2 to May 27 – Monday to Friday, (9:00-2:00) On-site

• Location: Faculty of Education classroom

• Also, French as a Second Language will be taught fully online with an oral component– May 2 to June 18 (earphones need to be purchased)

• NOTE: Proficiency Test required: To be considered for this course, you must first pass a proficiency test which consists of listening/speaking and reading/writing components.


French Proficiency Test• Date of Proficiency Test: March 17 (4:00-6:00)

Location: • First part of the test: (4:00-5:00) listening/speaking

at Centre for Teaching and Learning, Lambton Hall, Language Lab, basement level

• Second part of the test: (5:00-6:00) Faculty of Education classroom

• Cost: $50. Full cost of course: $735

• Requirements for taking FSL Part 1: A passing grade of B on the proficiency test


Special Education, Part 1• Offered online

• Start and Closing dates: May 2 to June 18

• Students will be enrolled in the Desire2Learn platform, not the CLEW platform

• Students will be given a UserID and password and become part of this course

• Offered on site: May 2 to May 27 (9:00-2:30, Monday to Friday)at the Faculty of Education

• Instructors are specialists in this area

• Special Education is becoming more and more necessary for teachers because of the Inclusion policies of many Boards.

• Special Education certification is more attractive in the hiring process.


ABQs at the Senior Level

• ABQ Math (Senior)

• Dates and Times: May 2 to June 25

• Mondays and Thursdays 5:00-9:00 and FOUR Saturday sessions 8:00-4:30

• Location: Faculty of Education classroom

• NOTE: Course will only be offered if there are a good number of candidates.


ABQs at the Senior Level• ABQ English (Senior)

– Online course: May 2 to June 18

• ABQ Geography/History/Social Science (Sr.)– Online course: June 20 to July 31


The Honour Specialist (Schedule E)

• This is NOT the equivalent of an Honours Degree.

• Honours Specialist courses are listed under Schedule E and are to be considered leadership courses in the subject area

• To get into an Honours Specialist course, candidates need 9 university credits in that subject area, a B average and TWO years teaching experience, one of which is in the subject area.


When do I get recognition of this AQ course ?

• You will first have to be conferred as having completed the B.Ed. program. Graduation takes place in June.

• We will submit to OCT the names of conferred candidates who have taken a Spring or Summer AQ course.

• You should have already applied for certification and therefore the OCT will place the appropriate AQ accreditation on your OCT Certification of Qualification. You will not be recommended for any AQ/ABQ course unless you are a certified member of the OCT.


Our Very Best

• We wish you our very best as you explore possibilities in the job market!


professional learning series: adult qualifications for teacher candidates

Education

abq courses

ji qualifications

pj qualifications

senior division

courses athttp

teacher education program

special education

intermediate division