Helping Internationally Trained Teachers (OTF Report)
Gaining access to the teaching profession can be a lengthy and somewhat challenging process. There are cyclical fluctuations that result in teacher shortages and surpluses, making it difficult at times for trained teachers to get full-time jobs. Ontario currently has a surplus of teachers and the province is also home to many internationally educated teachers (IETs) who struggle with the College of Teachers certification process. Teach in Ontario is a project designed to help them navigate the requirements to attain Ontario Credentials.
Internationally educated teachers have many skills to offer Ontario’s education system. Many have extensive expertise and teaching experience in their countries of origin. They bring a wealth of cultural experience and a rich linguistic mosaic to our schools and their presence can help ensure that teaching staff reflect the diversity of the student population. Moreover, the approximately 140,000 immigrants who arrive each year include a significant number of school- age children. Teachers who have been uprooted themselves can provide a unique support system for students struggling with the process of integration into the school community.
Despite the advantages they bring to the profession, IETs often have difficulty finding jobs in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. Teach in Ontario aims to help them overcome some of the obstacles. The project is a partnership of LASI World Skills, the Ontario College of Teachers, the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, Skills for Change, and Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women, and it is jointly funded by the provincial and federal governments through the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Teach in Ontario consultation centres in Toronto, Windsor, and Ottawa offer services that include information and counselling about certification and employment; help obtaining documents required for certification; a six-week employment preparation course; and English language upgrading courses.
Although these services have proven to be beneficial, many internationally educated teachers who complete the program still experience limited employment opportunities. According to the 2007 Transition to Teaching Study released by the Ontario College of Teachers, IETs most often secure jobs as daily occasional teachers.
Graduates of Canadian English-language teacher education programs have an easier time getting full-time jobs, and graduates of French-language programs and those who can teach French as a second language in English-language school boards tend to be in demand. As a result of the funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Teach in Ontario is now able to offer IETs opportunities to participate in 10-day classroom immersion placements, attend occasional teaching workshops, and work with experienced teachers who can provide support. However, securing these placements is not always easy, as many teachers are already burdened by the numerous initiatives placed on them. Also, a significant proportion of Ontario teachers are under 40 years of age and busy with family responsibilities.
If you are interested in opening your classroom to an internationally educated teacher from the Teach in Ontario project, please contact Carol Norton-Sargent at cnortonsargent@teachinontario.ca. Supporting our international colleages is important – and rewarding.
The Teach in Ontario website offers more information. Visit teachinontario.ca or enseig-nerenontario.ca.