Creating a Clear Signal against a Noisy Background

Abstract

In addition to the regular schedule of coursework, a 8-month teacher education program needs to deal with the challenge of finding the appropriate time to include the extra requirements of a professional certification program. In the Ontario context, these extra requirements include finding time for presentations by the teachers’ unions and for the Ontario College of Teachers. In both cases, candidates are required to complete an application form to ensure they become certified Ontario teachers and are paid at the appropriate rate once they complete their degree. At Queen’s, there are also many opportunities for candidates to engage in various workshops related to finding a job, including a popular recruiting fair for candidates interested in teaching overseas. Teacher candidates’ thoughts naturally begin to drift to the job search and the possibility of teaching in their own classroom.