Standards of Practice & Education Committee
The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession, the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and the Professional Learning Framework for the Teaching Profession (PLF) together convey a collective vision of teacher professionalism in Ontario.
This collective vision is the foundation of initial teacher education, continuing teacher education, professional practice, ongoing professional learning and educational leadership.
The standards describe the professional knowledge, skills, values and ethical commitments inherent within educators’ professional practice in Ontario. The PLF articulates the multiplicity of forms of ongoing education and learning engaged in by members of the profession.
The Standards of Practice and Education (SP&E) Committee advises the College Council on the development, implementation and review of the ethical and practice standards and the PLF, which help to support ethical professionalism. The SP&E Committee also reviews and approves Additional Qualification (AQ) policy guidelines and associated research.
In 2019, the SP&E Committee focused on:
- enforcement of the ethical standards and standards of practice within teacher education and professional practice;
- communication and education regarding the standards;
- development of standards-based teacher education research and resources;
- development and implementation of policies related to AQ course guidelines;
- engagement of the profession and the public in AQ policy review;
- engagement in research to support AQ policy development, AQ accreditation, ethical professional practice, teacher leadership and standards implementation;
- development and implementation of policies related to the standards and teacher education;
- educative processes related to ethical leadership and practice as outlined in the ethical standards;
- broadening membership engagement in the work of the College, and in particular, engaging members such as retired educators, Indigenous educators, educators of students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, educators of students who are Blind/Low Vision and educators with expertise in various subject areas; and
- supporting the implementation and education of the standards and the PLF through accreditation practices associated with AQs.
Continuing Teacher Education: Review of AQ Course Policy Guidelines
AQ courses are offered by approved providers across Ontario. The foundation for these courses is the AQ policy guidelines issued by the College. The content of these teacher education policy guidelines reflects knowledge, skills and practices associated with the various dimensions of teaching and educational leadership. The ethical standards and the standards of practice form the basis for all AQ course guidelines, which provide a holistic framework for enhancing educators’ professional knowledge, skills and practices. Accredited AQ courses are aligned with the College’s AQ policy guidelines. The SP&E Committee supports the collaborative development of AQ policy guidelines through engagement with the teaching profession, learners, AQ providers, educational partners and the public. A diversity of inclusive practices is employed to invite shared leadership and ownership in the democratic AQ review process used by the College. The following AQ conceptual framework has been endorsed by the SP&E Committee to guide AQ policy development.
Additional Qualification Course Guideline Development and Review Framework
Connecting Policies and Practices in the Service of Indigenous Communities
Embedded in All AQ Course Guidelines
All AQ courses that teachers may elect to take to enhance their professional practice contain specific content related to Indigenous knowledge, culture and history. The AQs also focus on Indigenous ways of knowing and being, community partnerships, as well as elements of critical consciousness formation such as decolonization, restorative practices and the unpacking of personal and systemic bias, power and privilege.
Vision of the Educator and the Learner
The following Anishinaabe images of the Vision of the Educator and Vision of the Learner are included within each AQ course guideline.
Indigenous Conceptual Frameworks
Another highlight of the indigenous-focused AQ courses are the culturally specific and community-created conceptual frameworks that underpin these courses. Below are two examples of conceptual frameworks that have been created by community members as foundational to these courses. They position AQ courses as community-based and Indigenous-led rather than Eurocentric or settler-colonial driven.
Draft AQ Course Guidelines Approved
In 2019, the committee approved 26 draft AQ course guidelines and one program for provincial validation. These AQ guidelines included:
Schedule B Technological Education (2 guidelines):
- Technological Design, Grades 9 and 10
- Technological Design, Grades 11 and 12.
Schedule C (10 guidelines):
- Geography, Grades 7 and 8
- History, Grades 7 and 8
- Teaching in a French Immersion Setting
- Teaching Cree
- Teaching Students with Communication Needs (Speech and Language)
- Teaching Students with Intellectual Needs (Developmental Disability)
- Teaching Students with Intellectual Needs (Giftedness)
- Teaching Students with Intellectual Needs (Mild Intellectual Disability)
- Teaching Students with Multiple Needs
- Teaching Students with Physical Needs.
Schedule D (Three-Part Specialist) (12 guidelines):
- Actualisation linguistique en francais/Programme d'appui aux nouveaux arrivants [ALF PANA]
- Kindergarten
- Science and Technology, Primary and Junior
- Teaching and Leadership in First Nations, Métis and Inuit Settings.
Schedule E, Honour Specialist (1 guideline):
- Computer Studies – Schedule E Honour Specialist
Program:
- Teaching Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Program.
Final AQ Course Guidelines Approved
In 2019, the committee approved 22 final AQ course guidelines to guide the design and implementation of AQ courses. These AQ guidelines included:
Schedule A (8 guidelines):
- Business Studies – Entrepreneurship (Senior)
- Business Studies – Information and Communication Technology (Intermediate and Senior)
- Computer Studies (Intermediate and Senior)
- Economics (Senior)
- Français (Intermediate and Senior).
Schedule C (5 guidelines):
- Alternative Education
- Computer Studies
- Health and Physical Education, Grades 7 and 8
- Occasional Teaching
- Outdoor Experiential Education.
Schedule D (Three-Part Specialist) (9 guidelines):
- ALF/PANA (FRENCH ONLY)
- Business Studies - Entrepreneurship
- Special Education.
AQ Provincial Writing Teams
The SP&E Committee received information regarding 12 AQ provincial writing team sessions that engaged members of the profession in 2019 for the development/revision of the following 44 AQ course guidelines, as identified within the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation 176/10:
Schedule A (Intermediate and Senior) (14 guidelines):
- Religious Education in Catholic Schools
- Environmental Science
- Intermediate Education
- Music Instrumental
- Music Vocal
- Junior Education
- Visual Arts.
Schedule C (2 guidelines):
- Integrated Arts
- Mathematics, Grades 7 and 8.
Schedule D, Three-Part Specialist (24 guidelines):
- Kindergarten
- Teaching Students who are Blind/Low Vision
- Religious Education in Catholic Schools
- Environment Education
- Mathematics, Primary and Junior
- Music – Vocal, Primary and Junior
- Music – Vocal, Intermediate and Senior
- Visual Arts.
Schedule E Honour Specialist (4 guidelines):
- Religious Education in Catholic Schools
- Environmental Science
- Music
- Visual Arts.
AQ Provincial Consultations
The Ontario College of Teachers regularly engages with College members, educational partners and the public in reviewing and developing Additional Qualification (AQ) policy guidelines. This process is essential in supporting AQ policy guidelines that reflect current practices and foster exploration of concepts and inquiries related to innovative and emerging practices within various areas of education.
An Open Space Technology (OST) session for the Religious Education in Catholic Schools AQ course guidelines was facilitated by the College and informed the work of the committee. 45 participants from both French and English associations and school boards across the province, including students and student trustees, participated in exploring the theme, Inquiring into the Evolving Nature of Religious Education in Catholic Schools through Additional Qualifications.
Written Reports
The following written reports were generated to support the policy development, research and standards-based educative work of the committee:
- AQ Policy Development and Accreditation 2018 Year at a Glance, February 2019
- Proposed Submission for 2018 Annual Report, Standards of Practice and Education Committee, February 26, 2019
- Teaching Students who are Blind/Low Vision Additional Qualification Survey Analysis- March 2019
- Inquiring into Early Learning: Principles, Pedagogies and Partnerships - Participant Notes - October 26, 2018 Open Space Consultation - Schedule D Kindergarten Additional Qualification Course Guidelines Review Process, Standards of Practice and Education Committee, March 27, 2019
- Inquiring Into the Evolving Nature of Religious Education in Catholic Schools through Additional Qualifications - Open Space Participant Notes, September 24, 2019.
Educative Sessions
The committee received seven presentations by members of the profession to support the policy development work related to the following areas:
-
Exploring the Provincial Landscape related to Teaching Students who are
Blind or Have Low Vision - Educative Sessions by:
- Ross Macdonald School Team
- Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) staff
- VIEWS for the Visually Impaired.
The Committee explored current educational challenges that exist for students who are blind or have low vision and were invited to consider next steps for “serving the public interest” for learners situated on the margins.
The Committee also engaged in educative sessions related to the following:
- Teaching Students with Communication Needs (Speech and Language)
- Teaching Students with Intellectual Needs (Developmental Disability)
- Teaching Students with Intellectual Needs (Giftedness)
- Teaching Students with Intellectual Needs (Mild Intellectual Disability)
- Teaching Students with Multiple Needs
- Teaching Students with Physical Needs
- Kindergarten
- AQ Accreditation
- Rotinonhsyón:ni Representations of the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession.
Find an AQ
In 2019, 170 AQ-related member queries were received via the “Find an AQ” section of the College’s website. This is a significant increase in member AQ inquiries since the committee recommended enhancements to the Find an AQ section. This has resulted in the College being able to more directly support members’ inquiries related to specific AQs.
Find an AQ Feedback Analysis
AQ Candidate Surveys
By the end of 2019, data was collected from 1,758 AQ course candidate surveys that focused on approximately 13 AQ courses which included the Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP) and Teaching Students who are Blind/Low Vision. This helped to inform AQ policy development and accreditation practices.
Accreditation of AQ Course Submissions
The committee reviewed the College’s re-conceptualized approach to the accreditation of AQ course submissions, which was aligned with processes and practices associated with the policy development processes used for AQ courses. The accreditation processes are an enactment of the standards and the PLF and also help to support the Committee’s focus related to ongoing implementation of the standards and the PLF. In 2019, 131 AQ courses were accredited by the College, which had the standards and PLF as foundational elements.
AQ Accreditation Process
To support Committee members’ awareness and understanding of the AQ Accreditation stance and processes employed by the College in reviewing AQ course submissions, the Committee engaged in two experiential sessions related to AQ Accreditation vision and processes.
Ongoing Education for AQ Providers
The committee received information related to six AQ institutes for AQ designers and facilitators which focused on the following areas related to AQ course design:
- Developing skills and competencies to redesign AQ courses and/or modules around the Fully Online Learning Community (FOLC) Model
- Intentional AQ course design from an inquiry and anti-oppressive stance
- Reconceptualizing Disability in Education.
These experiential institutes offered AQ course designers and facilitators opportunities to explore and engage in critical dialogue related to elements of AQ course design.
Standards Education
Standards educative sessions along with standards-based resources continue to influence and support teacher education and leadership development. These educative sessions support the integration of the ethical standards, the standards of practice and the PLF within teacher education.
In 2019, staff facilitated 62 sessions for 1926 participants, including teacher candidates, new teachers, teacher-educators and leaders, principal candidates, AQ course developers and internationally educated teachers. Figure 1 provides a breakdown of these educative sessions during 2019.
Standards Teacher Education Resources
The SP&E Committee supported the ongoing development of written and visual standards-based resources for use within initial and continuing teacher education and professional practice. These initiatives support the College mandate related to the enforcement of the standards and providing for the ongoing education of educators. These resources supported ethical professional practice and were collaboratively developed with members of the teaching profession. These resources include:
First Nations Teacher Education Resources
Mohawk artist, Elizabeth Doxtater, from Six Nations of the Grand River, has created artistic Rotinonhsyón:ni representations of the College’s Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession for inclusion in the new Teaching and Leadership in First Nations, Métis and Inuit Settings AQ course guidelines.
In addition, the following standards-based First Nations teacher education resource for initial and continuing teacher education was developed:
- A Rotinonhsyón:ni Representation of the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession.
This resource will help to support the meaningful inclusion of First Nations cultures and worldviews within initial and continuing teacher education.
Other Standards Education Resources
Braille versions of the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession, the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession, and the Conceptual Map for the Professional Learning Framework
The College, in collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, has developed Braille versions of the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession, Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession, and the Conceptual Map for the Professional Learning Framework for the Teaching Profession. These resources will support the Teaching Students who are Blind/Low Vision AQ.
Intentional Design Resource for AQ Course Providers: Anti-Oppressive Stance
A new provincial digital resource entitled, Intentional Design: AQ Courses, was collaboratively developed with AQ course designers and instructors. It is intended to support the practices of AQ course designers and course instructors and to help foster provincial capacity related to the adoption of an anti-oppressive stance within AQ courses and it will also support AQ accreditation at the College. The Committee suggested that this digital resource would also be beneficial for initial and continuing teacher education.
Standards of Practice and Education
- Charles Dimitry Abraham, OCT (e)
- Elizabeth Edgar-Webkamigad, OCT (a)
- Susan E. Elliott-Johns, OCT (e) (Chair)
- Erin Glen, OCT (e)
- Mary Ellen Gucciardi (e)
- Mary-Anne Mouawad, OCT (e) (Vice-Chair)
(a) = appointed
(e) = elected