Editorial Board
The College’s quarterly award-winning magazine, Professionally Speaking/Pour parler profession, is delivered to 229,944 Ontario Certified Teachers in either English or French. It provides inspiring stories from Ontario Certified Teachers, reports trends in education and regulation, and features in-depth articles, resource reviews and tools to enhance professional practice.
The magazine also profiles remarkable teachers who have made a difference in the lives and careers of notable Canadians.
The Editorial Board is responsible for setting editorial and advertising policy for the magazine. The board reviews magazine content prior to publication and provides input into future editions, looking for a balance of subject areas that will interest the College’s diverse membership. Each issue highlights teachers who demonstrate excellence in the classroom, and offers an opportunity to share those teachers’ philosophies and experiences with colleagues.
Feedback from members about the content they find most useful in guiding their professional practice helps the Editorial Board continually improve the publication.
In 2020, Professionally Speaking’s articles and special sections continued to cover important College news and initiatives related to its mandate, including “Professional Boundaries” — a feature story about the College’s recent professional advisory. Many feature articles reflected the challenging nature of the year, including a look at steps Ontario Certified Teachers are taking to protect their mental health, and a story about supporting student success in a COVID-19 world. Other features covered a wide range of topics, including Ontario educators’ experiences working in remote communities, and tools and strategies for creating an eco-friendly and sustainable school.
In March, Professionally Speaking published its annual AQ supplement, focusing on innovation in learning, as well as key statistics from the College’s 2019 Transition to Teaching study, which looks at the job market for new teachers.
The College’s commitment to transparency and accountability is reflected in the Governing Ourselves section of the magazine. Ontario Certified Teachers and the public can read reports about Council, committee and College activities, from conference, annual report and annual meeting highlights to mandatory disciplinary hearing summaries that are part of professional self-regulation.
The College magazine enjoyed another impressive awards season in 2020. Professionally Speaking/Pour parler profession received international recognition at the 2020 Tabbie Awards, picking up four honours (including one silver and three Top 25). The Tabbies, presented by TABPI (Trade Association Business Publications International), recognize editorial and visual excellence in English-language trade, association and business magazines worldwide. At the National Magazine Awards: B2B, which recognize excellence in business-to-business publication in Canada, Professionally Speaking won one gold, one silver award, and five honourable mentions.
Professionally Speaking continues to provide information about important education issues that are relevant to readers. It encourages discussion and feedback from OCTs through content such as the Professional Practice section and Letters to the Editor.
Editorial Board
- Chantal Côté, OCT (e) (Vice-Chair)
- Melissa Gaffen, OCT (e)
- Godwin Ifedi (a) (Chair) (to March 18)
- Timothy Kwiatkowski, OCT (e)
- Élaine Legault (a) (from May 21)
- Marlène Marwah (a) (to November 28)
(a) = appointed
(e) = elected