Preservice Teacher Education in the Province of Ontario is the responsibility of faculties of education in seven of the publicly funded provincial universities. At the University of Toronto, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/UT) is responsible for the preservice program -- in addition to its responsibilities for graduate programs in education. OISE/UT delivers its 1-year, consecutive, preservice program for elementary teachers by means of eight different "program groups." Each program group consists of approximately 60 candidates and a teaching team of instructors. Each program group has a "home base" for its classes and a set of associated schools for its practicum. In 2000-2001, the home base for six program groups is the OISE building on the main campus. The other two program groups have their home base in schools: one group in the Toronto District School Board at Samuel Hearne Sr. P.S. and the other in the Peel Board of Education at Eastbourne P.S. |
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At present, the preservice program for all program groups is eight months from September to June, consisting of:
A teaching team for a program group may decide to allocate up to two days per week during class weeks for practical work in schools that is beyond practice teaching. Taken together, such weekly, in-school sessions constitute the Student Teaching Experience Program (STEP). Besides providing on-going classroom experience to support course projects, STEP enables candidates to become familiar with the classrooms, children, and programs where they will next practice teach. |
All successful graduates from the OISE/UT preservice program, regardless of program group, receive a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto and teacher certification from the Ontario College of Teachers |
THE SOUTH OPTION The South Option is
newly created for 2000-2001. The option coordinators are
Lucy Giannotta and Bob Martin. At present, we are recruiting
schools to work with us in STEP and Practice Teaching. We
plan to have STEP on Tuesday during "in-faculty" weeks. |