Professional Practice

The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession and the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession establish the core ethics of teaching and guide teachers’ professional practices.

Standards describe, in a transparent way for members of the profession and the public, the foundational values and professional practices of the teaching profession.

The Standards of Practice and Education Committee advises College Council on the development, implementation and review of the ethical and practice standards and the professional learning framework to maintain the standards. The committee activities are:

• integration of the standards within teacher education and professional practice
• communication and education of the standards
• dissemination of standards-based research and resources.

Teacher Education: Additional Qualification (AQ) Guidelines

In 2009, members of the profession, educational partners and the public contributed to a review of 133 additional qualification (AQ) program or course guidelines that help support teacher education.

Over 535 members were intensely involved in the consultation and the writing processes that informed the development of these AQ course guidelines. The Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession remain the foundation for these important policy documents that guide and support the enhancement of educators’ professional knowledge and practice in Ontario.

In 2009, the College collaborated with the teaching profession and educational partners in the development of AQ course guidelines related to following areas of focus: the Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP), Teaching Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – ASL/LSQ Communication or for Teaching Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – Aural and Oral Communication Program, Technological Education Additional Qualification Courses, Supervisory Officer's Qualification Program (SOQP) and Aboriginal Teacher Education.

Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP) Guideline Review

A new PQP guideline was developed in 2009. A comprehensive consultation process was developed that engaged program providers, educational partners, members of the profession and the public. This new guideline will help to ensure that future school leaders develop the forms of leadership, knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to serve Ontario’s rich diversity.

Qualification for Teaching Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – ASL/LSQ Communication or for Teaching Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – Aural and Oral Communication Program

Extensive dialogue and numerous consultations helped the College develop a draft guideline for Teaching Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – ASL/LSQ Communication or for Teaching Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – Aural and Oral Communication Program. This revised guideline reflects experts’ input and feedback received from a multitude of perspectives.

Technological Education Guideline Development

During the year, the Committee reviewed 20 guidelines that had been collaboratively developed with education partners and the community to develop 20 guidelines related to technological education. These guidelines reflect the Ministry of Education’s newly revised broad-based technological education course curriculums at the grade 9-10 and 11-12 levels.

Representatives from faculties of education, the Ministry of Education, the Ontario Council for Technology Education and teachers from across the province were involved in the consultation and writing process.

Supervisory Officer’s Qualification Program Guideline Review

In 2009, several consultative methods were used to inform the development of the SOQP guideline. A writing team comprised of representatives from various provincial educational organizations has guided the review of this important leadership program. The public, the teaching profession and the educational community were invited to contribute to the revised SOQP through online questionnaires, teleconference focus groups and a public consultation session.

Aboriginal Teacher Education AQ Course Guidelines

The College is developing and revising 21 Additional Basic Qualification (ABQ) and Additional Qualification (AQ) course guidelines related to aboriginal teacher education as a result of the review of the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation.

This revised regulation includes 11 new aboriginal language courses, two additional courses specifically focused on First Nations, Métis, Inuit (FNMI) cultures, tradition and ways of knowing and eight courses with name changes to convey a different and more inclusive orientation to each course.

An external advisory committee of representatives from various First Nations, Métis, Inuit (FNMI) teacher education programs in Ontario are helping to guide the development processes for these AQs. Elders and Senators from the First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities also contributed to the conversations related to these AQ guidelines.

Standards Education

In order to fulfill the College’s mandate to establish and enforce professional standards and ethical standards and to provide for the ongoing education of members, the committee has been involved in developing and disseminating teacher education curriculum and pedagogical resources to support the integration of the standards.

The College continues to meet and collaborate with providers of teacher education programs to help support effective approaches to integrate the standards within teacher education and professional practice. Programs of professional teacher education, district school boards, the Ministry of Education and educational partners continue to request these educational sessions.

In 2009, the College was invited to facilitate 79 educative sessions involving over 1,000 participants including teacher candidates, new teachers, teacher educators, teacher leaders and internationally educated teachers.

Standards-Based Research

Standards-based research contributes to the scholarship of teaching and illuminates the relevance and significance of the standards for the enhancement of the teaching profession.

The College’s scholarly articles and papers on the standards have received high praise at many teacher education research conferences including the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE).

During the year, College staff presented a research paper entitled, Re-Conceptualizing a Principal Qualification Program: a Narrative Approach to Policy Development at the annual AERA conference.

Exploring Leadership and Ethical Practice through Professional Inquiry

Les Presses de l'Université Laval published the leadership book, Exploring Leadership and Ethical Practice through Professional Inquiry/Explorer les pratiques déontologiques et le leadership par le questionnement professionnel. The book was developed as a result of a joint leadership and research partnership between the College and the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario (CPCO). This text is intended to support the ongoing development of ethical leadership within the daily practices of educators. It will also help to encourage the use of the ethical standards as an educative framework for enhancing ethical knowledge and practice. This resource will be used within initial and in service teacher education courses and programs to support the integration of the profession’s ethical standards.

Learning from Experience:
Supporting Beginning Teachers and Mentors [Resource Kit]

A collaborative teacher education and research project with Brock University and six district school boards resulted in the development and release of a standards-based induction resource kit. Many programs of professional teacher education and district school boards employed these resources in 2009 to support initial teacher education, teacher induction and the ongoing professional learning of mentor teachers.

Teacher Education Scholarship

The College’s teacher education initiatives capture the attention of educators and educational scholars outside Ontario, influencing the evolution of teacher education in other parts of Canada and other English-language and French-language jurisdictions. For example, teacher education programs in Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Afghanistan, Australia, China, England, Finland, France, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Pakistan and the United States are using the three resource kits that the College has developed to deepen understanding of teaching’s ethical standards and standards of practice. The College’s two standards-based books are also being used as teacher education curriculum and pedagogy throughout North America. These educational resources are being used within initial and graduate teacher education courses and programs.

The College’s standards describe the universal values and practices embodied by the teaching profession. These standards and accompanying teacher education resources have significantly influenced teacher education nationally and internationally.