3-Part AQs

Course Purpose & Enrolment Pre-Requisite

The Co-operative Education, Part 1 AQ course will provide candidates with an overview of the Cooperative Education program, which integrates student learning in a classroom with experiential learning outside of the traditional school setting. Candidates will start to understand key components of the experiential learning cycle and their role in facilitating a work experience for ALL students (whether it be a traditional work placement, or one of the specialized programs). In Part 1, candidates will also have an opportunity to learn about program planning, basic roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, instructional design and practices, assessment and evaluation, and skills associated with holistically providing an experiential learning experience. Furthermore, this AQ will allow candidates to connect with other colleagues to discuss current co-op related issues and strategies from various boards across the province. Upon completion of Cooperative Education Part 1, candidates will be prepared to confidently step into a Cooperative Education Department to positively support student safety, well-being and overall achievement.

Prerequisites

The Additional Qualification Dance, Part 1 Course is an introduction to the pedagogical and practical applications of dance in elementary and secondary schools as both a distinct discipline and teaching methodology. Active and experiential sessions provide candidates with an opportunity to develop skills and confidence in the use of dance across the curriculum. Through the lens of equity and inclusivity, Dance Part 1 focuses on differentiated instructional design and effective lesson planning and implementation within the classroom context. Candidates have the opportunity to become familiar with theoretical foundations, pedagogical frameworks, teaching/learning strategies and practices available to assist with program planning, development, implementation, assessment and evaluation.

Prerequisites

The Dramatic Arts, Part 1 Additional Qualification Course develops candidates’ theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for classroom use through an introduction to the multiple perspectives of key drama theorists and scholars embedding in practical course components. Through experiential learning focused on a range of instructional design and assessment practices, candidates develop their professional practice as they explore their individual understanding of drama education as both a discrete arts discipline and an integrative methodology.

All learning is situated within a context of social justice, inclusion, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Focused practice in lesson planning, design, and implementation engages candidates as both learners and teachers in recurrent cycles of inquiry, action, and reflection. Through such processes, candidates gain deepen knowledge of the Dramatic Arts subject area, develop professional judgment, and generate new knowledge for practice.

Prerequisites

The French as a Second Language (FSL),Part 1 AQ Course explores theoretical foundations, development of learners, program planning and implementation, assessment, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning across the divisions. The course is specifically designed to support French-speaking teachers to enhance their pedagogical and programming practices related to the delivery of the FSL curriculum.

Candidates come to the FSL AQ course with French language skills and related knowledge and experiences. Critical to the implementation of this course is the modeling of a positive learning environment that reflects care, professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Qualifications in at least one of the following:
  • primary division
  • junior division
  • intermediate division
  • senior division.
• Successfully complete a French language proficiency test. All test results are final and not subject to appeals. One test attempt permitted per session. Cost for the test is included in the registration fees.
  FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROFICIENCY TEST WILL BE E-MAILED UPON REGISTRATION.
  
• Test Exemption: Applicants holding Basic Qualifications for teaching in Francophone schools (i.e, primaire, moyen, intermédiare, and/or supérieur) will not be required to complete the French language proficiency test

Documents Required

• NONE

The Additional Qualification Course: Guidance and Career Education, Part 1 is open to elementary and secondary teacher-candidates, will introduce you to relevant Ministry of Education (MOE) policies, board/school programs, and resources. It will also deepen your understanding of others while enhancing your own and others’ learning through collaborative development of approaches and methods for implementing the skills of Guidance Teacher-Counsellors in classroom practice.

This Part 1 Guidance and Career Education course employs a critical, pedagogical lens for holistic, integrated exploration of relevant theoretical foundations and guidance-program planning and implementation, thus supporting your awareness of students’ learning development, styles, and preferences. In addition, through critical consideration of instructional practices, assessment and evaluation, the nature of the learning environment, and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning, you will increase your knowledge and skills for promoting and supporting students’ wellbeing. In short, Guidance and Career Education Part 1 will enhance your professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership capacity, and ongoing learning.

Prerequisites

The purpose of the Health and Physical Education(H&PE) Intermediate/Senior Part I Additional Qualification (AQ) Course is to develop candidates’ skills and knowledge for the design, delivery, and assessment of H&PE programs. As an introductory course, Part 1 focuses on the theory and practice underpinning H&PE through exploration of the philosophy and its application for ensuring a healthy, active living education. Critical to the delivery of H&PE is the ability of teachers to ensure positive learning experiences for all students. Candidates learn to combine their knowledge of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development and learning with understanding of students’ needs in order to facilitate active student engagement.

Prerequisites

The Health and Physical Education (H&PE) Primary/Junior Part 1 Additional Qualification Course develops candidates’ knowledge and skills for design, delivery and assessment of H&PE programs. The course explores the philosophy and application of a healthy, active-living approach through opportunities to examine the teacher’s role within H&PE and the healthy-schools framework. Successful candidates develop and demonstrate critical thinking and reflecting, engage in classroom practice, explore research, inquire and share their knowledge. And, through the planning of a three-part lesson in H&PE, candidates have the opportunity to advocate for the needs of the whole child, develop physical and health literacy, and commit to lifelong healthy, active living. This H&PE course supports the expectations outlined in the Ministry of Education curriculum policy documents and the OCT Standards of Practice and Ethical Standards

Prerequisites

The Integration of Information Communication Technology (IICT) Part 1 Course introduces you to an exploration of how technology-enabled learning can improve student achievement. It will also develop your skills and knowledge for the design, delivery, and assessment of this mode of learning, one that provides and extends learners’ access to the learning environment and to relevant resources while enabling these students to communicate, collaborate, connect, and create in a variety of ways.

The integration of technology into teaching has been identified by the Ontario Ministry of Education (MOE) as having a positive impact on student learning, a finding supported by research. It is important to note, however, that in Ontario’s elementary and secondary schools, technology-enabled learning must always be grounded in the Ontario curriculum; and, that assessment and evaluation practices must be grounded in the policy and practices outlined in the MOE document Growing Success.

Prerequisites

The Kindergarten, Part 1 Additional Qualification Course will engage you in an interactive, creative, and meaningful introductory course focused on topics such as, but not limited to, the image of the child; relationships and flow of the day; the learning environment, pedagogical documentation, and inquiry/play-based learning. It will also develop your knowledge and critical appreciation of emergent curriculum, self-regulation, early-childhood development theories/approaches, the four frames, integrated and inclusive learning, and assessment as, for, and of learning.

Throughout the course, you will have weekly opportunities to connect via chat discussions with your professional-learning community (PLC) as we explore theory and connect it to practice with hands-on challenges, interesting readings, knowledgeable guest speakers, inspiring (virtual) field trips, and practical assignments. Our weeks together will be an experience that supports your unique learning journey, one that will provide you with resources for ongoing exploration after the course ends.

NOTE: The course serves to support the continuous professional learning needs of certified teachers and registered early childhood educators (RECEs/ECEs). At the end of the course, RECEs/ECEs receive the Kindergarten Course Part 1 Certificate which may be eligible for ECE hours. Please check with your provincial authority with respect to the ongoing requirement for maintaining or renewing your ECE License / registration.

Prerequisites

Documents Required

• NONE

The Mathematics, Primary and Junior Part 1 Additional Qualification Course will engage you in a process of inquiry to explore and develop a life-long-learner mindset for teaching and, specifically, for instruction in mathematics. Using a multiple lens of mathematical processes, lesson study, flexible thinking, and multiple representations, you will examine the pedagogical content knowledge of the curriculum strands Number Sense in Counting as well as Quantity and Whole Number Operations. The summative task for this course is the creation of a mini-unit focused on embedding mathematical processes, observations, and conversations as pre/post/and ongoing assessment, after which, you will assess successes and next steps from the results of teaching the unit.

Prerequisites

• primary division
• junior division

Documents Required

• NONE

The Additional Qualification Course: Reading Part 1 enables you to develop a comprehensive literacy program to ensure students achieve full potential as fluent readers who comprehend what they read and can apply and communicate their knowledge and skills in new and varied contexts. You will develop a repertoire of practical strategies to meet the reading-comprehension and application needs of students in primary, junior, intermediate and secondary classrooms. Reading Part 1 focuses on ways of supporting your students through questioning, critical appreciation of perspective, and the detection of bias in text.

Through reading instruction, you will work with the most powerful tool learners have for developing ideas and insights, for giving shape to their experiences, and for making sense of their world and their possibilities in it: Language. To support effective language use and development within and beyond the course, you will also explore assessment tools for determining reading levels, strategies for reading improvement, structures for effective classroom implementation, and resources appropriate for addressing the strengths and needs of all readers.

Prerequisites

Reading Part 1 – Intermediate, Senior Focus Additional Qualification Course equips teachers to meet the reading comprehension and application needs of in the Intermediate Division. Specifically, it enhances the teacher-candidate’s repertoire for instructing, modeling, encouraging, and supporting learners as they engage in curriculum-based reading tasks and respond to the increasing literacy demands of life in a complex, mediated society. To this end, Reading Part 1 focuses, for example, on approaches to and strategies for comprehension and application such as close reading, analytic reading, text-dependent questioning/inquiry, critical appreciation of perspective and detection of bias in text.

Prerequisites

The Special Education Part I Additional Qualification course explores the theoretical foundations, the development of learners, program planning and implementation, instructional practices, assessment and evaluation and the learning environment to support the effective teaching and learning of students with special needs.

Prerequisites

The Additional Qualification Course: Special Education Part I employs a critical pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations, development of learners, program planning and implementation, instructional practices, assessment and evaluation, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning in the Intermediate-Senior division. Critical to the implementation of this course is the modelling of a positive learning environment that reflects care, diversity, equity and is specifically tailored for the secondary school educator. This course supports the enhancement of professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

From an anti-oppressive stance, we will better understand how student voice and experience might inform and shape our practice, from valuing different communication preferences, to creating student-centered classroom environments, to using technology to offer unique teaching and learning experiences.

Foundational to this course is exploring the pedagogical, curricular, and environmental challenges and opportunities to teaching, learning, and leading in the secondary school. We will consider how concepts of disability, differentiated instruction, accommodations, modifications, and universal design might be applied in the subject-specific classroom. Participants will deepen their understanding of, and develop lessons for, the Ministry of Education’s Learning Strategies courses.

This course will consider special education and its role in schooling and society. We will learn about various disabilities and exceptionalities, and from a student and self-advocate perspective explore disability as an important component of an individual’s identity and how disability can be amplified and integrated in the secondary school setting.

Prerequisites

The Teacher Librarian Part 1 Additional Qualification Course introduces you to the unique role of the Teacher Librarian in the school by focusing attention on the fundamental knowledge and skills required for assuming a contributing role in your school’s Library Learning Commons (LLC). The course also supports your identification and exploration of varied avenues for demonstrating leadership, equipping you to serve the range of needs and interests presented by students, staff, and other members of the school community through the LLC. In short, Part 1 builds the foundation for acquiring and implementing knowledge, skills, and confidence for the professional journey you are taking toward future direction and management of a successful LLC.

Specifically, the Part 1 course will immerse you in collaborative practices that promote students’ achievement, increasing your awareness and understanding of how such practices support instruction and assessment within an inquiry and research model. The course will guide your development of the knowledge and skills you need to identify the characteristics of a sound school-based library program, one that integrates MOE learning expectations for students with the OCT standards of professional practice and ethics for practitioners. Finally, Part 1 will support you in identifying opportunities for nurturing your personal leadership capacity and ability both within the candidate group and in the larger community represented by your school’s LLC stakeholders

Prerequisites

The Teaching English Language Learners Part 1 Additional Qualification Course provides an introduction which will focus your learning on theory and practice underpinning second-language teaching and learning while examining factors influencing acculturation. The content addressed in this course is intended to assist teachers in the design, implementation, and assessment of programs for linguistically and culturally diverse students at all grade levels.

You will also develop an awareness of the role of the ELL teacher as an advocate for students’ linguistic and social adjustment challenges and needs in the school; and, as a collaborative partner for in-school and community services personnel and parents/guardians.

Prerequisites

This Visual Arts Part 1 AQ Course provides candidates with a theoretical and practical introduction to the teaching of visual arts at the elementary and secondary levels. The course focuses on lesson planning, sequential lesson development, and classroom implementation within a context of culturally relevant pedagogy.

Through exploration of the elements and principles of design using a variety of media, candidates connect professional practice to the developmental stages of students’ art as they learn to use a variety of authentic assessment strategies and practical evaluation instruments. The course also includes art history and appreciation, aesthetics and criticism. Hands-on workshops expand candidates’ understanding and skill in the use of visual arts techniques, thus increasing confidence and ability to deliver appropriate, challenging studio activities to meet curriculum policies and standards and to address attendant Issues of safety and liability.

Prerequisites

Documents Required

• NONE

The Vocal Music P/J Part I AQ Course equips and enables candidates to explore ways of incorporating music into all areas of the Primary/Junior curriculum. Through examination of the renewed Ontario Arts Curriculum and music’s big ideas, candidates learn ways to encourage their own students to be creative and critical thinkers who can use and enjoy using movement, voice, and instruments to express thoughts and feelings.

Course activities introduce and support candidates’ practical use of the recorder, Orff instruments, percussion, and ukulele in the music classroom. Theoretical and pedagogical aspects of the course equip candidates to design a music program that addresses and encompasses the Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and to implement instructional and assessment practices that meet the needs of students in relation to relevant curriculum policies and expectations. The course also supports candidates as they identify and develop ways to create positive learning environments to encourage students’ well being.

Prerequisites

The Additional Qualification Course: Writing Part 1 will engage you in exploration of professional practice, critical pedagogies and the knowledge and skills outlined in the OCT course guidelines. Through inquiry, you will examine beliefs and theories about being literate and learning to write; critically explore, reflect, and engage in discussions pertaining to teaching and learning within the context of writing instruction and learning to write. From there, you will integrate new learning into practice as you consider students’ individual needs, narratives, interests, and learning preferences.

Through the Writing Part 1 AQ course, you will consider 21st-Century competencies, tools, and processes for creating engaging, trusting, and inviting learning environments. You will also explore assessment practices that encompass the Ontario MOE curriculum frameworks and policy documents and consider fair, equitable, transparent, valid, and reliable assessment methods that honour the dignity, developmental needs, emotional wellness, and identity of all students.

Prerequisites

Course Purpose & Enrolment Pre-Requisite

The Co-operative Education, Part 2 AQ course provides a deeper, extensive examination of Cooperative Education and will build on your knowledge of other forms of experiential learning. In Part 2, candidates will also have an opportunity to further explore program planning, basic roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, instructional design and practices, assessment and evaluation, and build skills associated with holistically providing an experiential learning experience. Another critical aspect of this AQ course is to provide candidates an opportunity to branch out and network with colleagues from other school boards and teaching backgrounds in order to develop, share and ultimately build their professional resources. Upon completion of Cooperative Education Part 2, candidates will be better equipped, with a vast majority of tools, to confidently step into any Cooperative Education Department and be able to positively support student safety, well-being and overall achievement.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Dance, Part 2 Course explores the theoretical and practical applications of teaching dance in both elementary and secondary programs. Building upon the concepts and skills developed in Dance Part 1, candidates deepen their practice through an active exploration of dance education, with an emphasis on inquiry, advocacy, curriculum planning and effective unit design explored through diverse forms of dance expression. Within the context of equity and culturally relevant practices, candidates have the opportunity to critically examine a range of learning materials, pedagogical frameworks and teaching/learning strategies available to assist with program planning, development, implementation, assessment and evaluation.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Dramatic Arts, Part 2 Additional Qualification Course extends the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills addressed in Part 1 by reviewing the multiple perspectives of key drama theorists and scholars and embedding these in practical course components. Through experiential learning focused on a range of instructional design and assessment practices, candidates refine their professional practice and, thus, increase individual understanding of drama education as both a discrete arts discipline and an integrative methodology.

All learning in Part 2 is situated within a context of social justice, inclusion, and culturally relevant pedagogy. For example, building upon earlier lesson-planning practice, candidates design a drama-program study unit by engaging both as learners and as teachers through participation and reflection from both perspectives; and, through collaborative creation processes, they learn in, through, and about Documentary Theatre and Children’s Theatre by engaging in recurrent cycles of inquiry, action, and reflection. Through such processes, candidates gain deeper knowledge of the Dramatic Arts subject area, refine professional judgment, and generate new knowledge for practice.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: French as a Second Language, Part II explores the theoretical foundations, the development of learners, program planning and implementation, assessment, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning across the divisions. The course is specifically designed to support French speaking teachers in enhancing their pedagogical and programming practices as they relate to the delivery of French as a a Second Language curriculum.

Candidates come to the Additional Qualification course: French as a Second Language, Part II with French language skills and related knowledge and experiences. Critical to the implementation of this course is the modeling of a positive learning environment that reflects care, professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

The Ontario College of Teachers recognizes that candidates working in the publicly funded school system, independent/private institutions or First Nations schools will have a need to explore in an integrated delivery model, topics and issues of particular relevance to the context in which they work or may work.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: Guidance and Career Education, Part 2 will continue to support you in examining the important role of guidance and counselling practice in the school community and, as well, its attendant benefits for students and teachers. It will also engage you in exploration of the contributions of the various school-community stakeholders to the decision making required for ensuring sound guidance and counselling practice.

Throughout the Part 2 course, you will experience opportunities for extending your own professional practice; expanding career awareness and planning; refining the use of assessment tools and community resources; and examining relevant legal and ethical issues. Finally, you will enjoy the support of the Instructional Leader (IL) and your colleagues as you explore personal and shared resources to refine professional skills and develop a personal approach to counselling.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The purpose of the Health and Physical Education (H&PE ) Intermediate/Senior Part 2 Additional Qualification (AQ) Course is to extend candidates’ skills and knowledge for the design, delivery, and assessment of H&PE programs. This Part 2 course focuses on the theory and practice underpinning H&PE through exploration of the underlying philosophy and its application for ensuring a healthy, active living education. Critical to the delivery of H&PE is the ability of teachers to ensure positive learning experiences for all students. To this end, candidates learn to combine their knowledge of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development and learning with their growing understanding of students’ needs and ability to facilitate active student engagement.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Completion of Health and Physical Education (H&PE ) Intermediate/Senior Part 1 OR Hold a Basic Qualification in Health and Physical Education in the Intermediate or Senior division
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Health and Physical Education (H&PE), Primary/Junior Part 2 Additional Qualification Course extends candidates’ knowledge and skills for designing, delivering, and assessing program. Through Part 2, candidates examine their role within the healthy schools framework by considering the needs of the whole child, increasing knowledge and development of physical and health literacy, and strengthening commitment to lifelong healthy, active living. Successful candidates demonstrate critical thinking and reflecting, engage in classroom practice, explore research, inquire and share their knowledge of planning a Health and H&PE unit of study within the context of a healthy schools framework.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Hold a Basic Certification in Primary or Junior Division
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Integration of Information Communication Technology (IICT) Part 2 Course builds upon the skills and knowledge you acquired in Part 1 in relation to the design, delivery, and assessment of curriculum through students’ technology-enabled learning. In Part 2, you will experience opportunities for extending your own professional practice; expanding awareness of and expertise in planning for possibilities of technology-enabled learning; refining the use of digital-assessment tools and resources; and, examining relevant legal and ethical issues. Finally, you will enjoy the support of the Instructional Leader (IL) and your colleagues as you explore tools and resources to refine professional skills and to develop a personal repertoire of technology-based instructional approaches.

Identified by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and supported by research as having a positive impact on student learning, the integration of technology into teaching and learning can extend students’ access to the learning environment and resources while enabling them to communicate, collaborate, connect, and create. It is important to note that technology-enabled learning must always be grounded in the Ontario curriculum; and, that assessment and evaluation practices must always be based on policy outlined in Growing Success.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Kindergarten, Part 2 Additional Qualification Course will engage you in interactive, creative, and meaningful experiences that extend your learning of early-childhood development theories and approaches. It will also enhance your knowledge about effective practice for children aged 3.5-6 years by focusing on responsive planning for play/inquiry-based learning and making learning visible through pedagogical documentation.

During the course, you will have weekly opportunities to connect via chat discussions with your professional learning community (PLC). You will also explore relevant theory and connect it to practice with hands-on challenges, interesting readings, knowledgeable guest speakers, inspiring (virtual) field trips, and practical assignments. Our weeks together will support your own unique learning journey and provide you with resources for ongoing exploration after the course ends.

NOTE: The course serves to support the continuous professional learning needs of certified teachers and registered early childhood educators (RECEs/ECEs). At the end of the course, RECEs/ECEs receive the Kindergarten Course Part 2 Certificate which may be eligible for ECE hours. Please check with your provincial authority with respect to the ongoing requirement for maintaining or renewing your ECE License / registration.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Mathematics, Primary and Junior Part 2 Additional Qualification Course will engage you in a process of inquiry to explore and develop a life-long-learner mindset for teaching and, specifically, to take you from what you learned in Part 1 to the next level of expertise for instruction in mathematics. The course embeds proportional/ relative thinking and spatial reasoning in all strands.

Using the multiple lenses of big ideas, cultural diversity, and lesson study, you will examine the pedagogical content knowledge of the curriculum strands in Number Sense (proportional reasoning, fractions, decimals), Geometry and Measurement. Further, you will collaboratively create a guide to the most challenging part of mathematics instruction: the debrief. .

The summative activity for the course is to further develop the entire process of design-down planning by pre-assessing through sample conferencing and other methods the planning, delivery, post-assessment and analysis of the results of a study unit. .

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Reading Intermediate, Secondary Focus Part 2 Focus Additional Qualification course builds your understanding of reading instruction, assessment, and support of adolescent students. Through examining current research and best practices, you will enhance your capacity to build a comprehensive literacy program across intermediate and secondary curriculum areas. A central focus is on developing strategies for identifying gaps through effective assessment, and then providing effective support and instruction for student comprehension and critical literacy. Finally, you will explore how to intentionally embed discipline-specific reading skills and strategies into courses to support the literacy development of all students.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification
• Hold an Intermediate or a Senior Qualification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: Reading Part 2 deepens your understanding of the role of the literacy teacher with regard to both program and instructional practices and, as well, to the opportunities and challenges faced by reading teachers. Building upon the knowledge and skills addressed in Part 1, you will examine current research; enhance your capacity to build a comprehensive literacy program; receive advanced instruction in the practices of teaching reading; and, develop strategies for constructing meaning and thinking critically about a variety of texts.

In addition, you will expand your examination of the critical link between assessment and effective instruction as it relates to the support students require to reach their full potential as readers. Finally, you will have opportunities to explore and discuss how to create rich reading tasks with co-created learning goals and success criteria to ensure the literacy development of all students.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Special Education Part 2 Addition Qualification Course is designed to expand upon the skills and knowledge developed by successful candidates who have completed Part 1. It employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations, development of learners, program planning, and Ethical Standards and the Standards of Practice. Critical to the implementation of this course is the modeling of a positive learning environment that reflects care, diversity, and equity.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

This Addition Qualification Special Education Part 2 Course is designed to expand upon the skills and knowledge developed by successful candidates who have completed Part 1. It employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations, development of learners, program planning, implementation, instructional practices and assessment and evaluation, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning in the Intermediate-Senior division. Critical to the implementation of this course is the modeling of a positive learning environment that reflects care, diversity, and equity and is specifically tailored for the secondary school educator. This course supports the enhancement of professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

From an anti-oppressive stance, we will better understand how student voice and experience might inform and shape our practice, from valuing different communication preferences, to creating student-centered classroom environments, to using technology to offer unique teaching and learning experiences.

Foundational to this course is exploring the pedagogical, curricular, and environmental challenges and opportunities to teaching, learning, and leading in the secondary school. We will consider how concepts of disability, differentiated instruction, accommodations, modifications, and universal design might be applied in the subject-specific classroom. Participants will deepen their understanding of, and develop lessons for, the Ministry of Education’s Learning Strategies courses.

This course will consider special education and its role in schooling and society. We will learn about various disabilities and exceptionalities, and from a student and self-advocate perspective explore disability as an important component of an individual’s identity and how disability can be amplified and integrated in the secondary school setting.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Teacher Librarian Part 2 Additional Qualification Course will expand and reinforce the knowledge, skills, and confidence you have acquired in Part 1. Specifically, it will enhance your understanding of the Library Learning Commons (LLC) as a collaborative space designed to promote student achievement across all subject/curriculum areas and to foster students’ overall success through inquiry- and research-based learning.

Through collaborative and individual activities, you will build upon your understanding of advocacy and grow as an advocate for school libraries. To nurture your growth, you will explore varied examples of the positive impact the Teacher Librarian can have on student learning; and, through discussion and research, you will examine innovative learning initiatives suited to the inquiry- and research-based model that informs the work of the Teacher Librarian to meet the needs and styles of all learners. Finally, the Part 2 course will strengthen your understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Teacher Librarian as a leader in the LLC and, thus, as a leader with school-wide influence.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Teaching English Language Learners Part 2 Additional Qualification Course will engage you in the use of a critical, pedagogical lens for exploring in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations; learning theory; program planning, development, and implementation; instructional design and practices; assessment and evaluation strategies and practices; the learning environment; and, research and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning across the divisions. Through these explorations, you will strengthen professional efficacy by gaining in-depth knowledge, refining professional judgment, and generating new knowledge for practice. Finally, you will critically design, apply, and facilitate dialogue related to learning opportunities that integrate the professional knowledge, skills and pedagogical stances

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Visual Arts Part 2 AQ Course extends candidates’ exploration of theoretical and practical ideas related to teaching at the elementary and secondary levels. It focuses on the creation of study-unit planning in drawing, painting, mixed media, ceramics, sculpture, photography and digital media within a context of social justice and culturally relevant pedagogy.

Through exploration of the elements and principles of design and post-modern principles of possibility using a variety of media, candidates connect professional practice to the developmental stages of students’ art and learn to use a variety of authentic assessment strategies. Candidates also learn through art appreciation, history, aesthetics, and criticism, which are embedded in the course curriculum. Hands-on workshops expand understanding and skill with visual-arts techniques and experiences, thus increasing candidates’ confidence and ability to deliver appropriate, challenging studio activities to meet curriculum policies and standards while addressing Issues of safety and liability.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Vocal Music P/J Part 2 AQ Course extends candidates’ exploration of ways to incorporate music into all areas of the Primary/Junior curriculum. In addition, candidates deepen their examination of the renewed Arts Curriculum as well as music’s big ideas, doing so to increase their knowledge and capacity to encourage students’ creative and critical thinking and use of movement, voice, and instruments for expressing thoughts and feelings.

Course activities support candidates as they develop/refine their ability to use recorder, Orff instruments, percussion, and ukulele in the music classroom; advance understanding of theoretical and pedagogical aspects of music education to encompasses and reflect the Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession; expand their repertoire for implementing instructional and assessment practices to meet the needs of students through the Ontario Education Curriculum, Elementary Division; and, explore increasingly innovative ways to create and nurture positive learning environments and integrated learning opportunities.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: Writing Part 2 facilitates collaborative design and implementation of professional practice and critical pedagogies as well as knowledge and skills outlined in the OCT guideline. Throughout the course, you will continue to inquire critically into professional practices, pedagogies, and ethical cultures of teaching and learning within the context of writing instruction and learning to write.

To begin, you will examine beliefs and theories about writing in an educational setting. From there, you will integrate learning theories while planning for the student writer by considering learners’ individual needs, narratives, interests and learning preferences. To create an effective and trusting learning environment featuring shared responsibility for learning, you will plan, design, and implement innovative 21st-Century pedagogies, tools, and processes that invite and engage students. In addition, you will collaborate to design and integrate assessment practices encompassing MOE curriculum frameworks and policy documents while considering fair, equitable, transparent, valid, and reliable assessment methods that honour the dignity, developmental needs, emotional wellness, and identity of all students.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 1 completed
• Minimum ONE year of certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

Course Purpose & Enrolment Pre-Requisite

In the Cooperative Education Specialist AQ course, candidates will prepare for a leadership role in experiential learning. The course will provide candidates with a comprehensive understanding of implementing Cooperative Education and other forms of experiential learning from a leadership perspective. Candidates must demonstrate leadership and directorial skills involved in initiating and developing a new experiential learning program. In Part 3, candidates will have an opportunity to facilitate program planning, develop and enhance community partnerships, expedite instructional design and practices, develop consistent assessments and evaluations across a department, manage and advocate for Cooperative Education programs, and build / promote skills associated with holistically providing an experiential learning experience. Upon completion of this Specialist AQ course, candidates will reinforce their current teaching practice within Cooperative Education, design and facilitate numerous strategies to become a leader in experiential learning programs, and expedite the delivery of a consistent message to promote student safety, well-being and overall achievement.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Co-operative Education.

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: Dance, Part 3 Specialist employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical and practical applications of teaching dance in both elementary and secondary programs. Building upon the concepts and skills developed in Dance Part 2, candidates examine instructional design and practices, assessment and evaluation, the learning environment, research and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning of dance across the divisions.

Within the context of equity and culturally relevant practices, candidates have the opportunity to critically examine a range of learning theories and considerations for program planning, development and implementation. Through these explorations, candidates strengthen professional efficacy by gaining in-depth knowledge, refining professional judgment, and generating new knowledge for practice. The underlying purpose of the Additional Qualification course Dance Part 3 Specialist is the development of capacity for curriculum leadership in candidates.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Dance

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Dramatic Arts, Specialist Additional Qualification Course builds on the theoretical and practical learning of Dramatic Arts Part 1 and Part 2 while focusing specifically on leadership theory and approaches related to drama education. Candidates acquire knowledge and skills for initiating and providing leadership–informal and formal–within the school and the larger community. Thus, the course program calls upon candidates to generate ideas and initiate activities that promote and nurture leadership within and beyond the group.

Dramatic Arts Specialist candidates employ a critical pedagogical lens to theoretical foundations and learning theories related to drama education by engaging in increasingly complex and experiential creative collaborations. At the same time, they refine instructional design and assessment through critical inquiry, dialogue, and professional collaboration, always through learning situated within a context of social justice, inclusion, and culturally relevant pedagogy and through authentic connections to theatre artists, theorists, and practices. Through recurrent cycles of inquiry, action, and reflection, candidates consolidate their identities as innovative leaders-practitioners in the field of drama education.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Dramatic Arts

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: French as a Second Language, Specialist explores the theoretical foundations, the development of learners, program planning and implementation, assessment, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning across the divisions. The course is specifically designed to support French speaking teachers in enhancing their pedagogical and programming practices as they relate to the delivery of French as a Second Language curriculum. Candidates come to the Additional Qualification course: French as a Second Language, Specialist with French language skills and related knowledge and experiences. Critical to the implementation of this course is the modeling of a positive learning environment that reflects care, professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in French as a Second Language

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Guidance and Career Education, Specialist Additional Qualification Course continues an examination of the important role of guidance and counselling in the school community: its benefits for students and teachers and its contribution to decision making by various stakeholders. It builds on the Part I and Part 2 courses to provide a comprehensive overview of the guidance program within the school community, specifically focusing your work on the leadership role of the guidance counsellor. You will extend your practice of guidance and counselling, career planning, career awareness, assessment tools, and community resources; and, you will examine relevant legal issues as well as policies and regulations pertaining to the leadership role that Guidance and Career Education plays in the school community.

You will also explore personal resources and skills to develop your leadership through approaches to counselling. As you explore, you will examine the critical role of guidance in program planning and consider the notion that guidance can be a part of a classroom teacher’s daily planning and instruction. To enhance your repertoire of counselling techniques and develop a personal counselling philosophy within the framework of Creating Pathways to Success and Ethical Guidelines for the Teaching Profession, you will deepen your understanding of the role of the guidance counsellor with respect to technology and access to various resources for enhancing and supporting student learning while building the skills your need to work collaboratively with in-school personnel, parents, and the community.

The assumption is made that as a course candidate, you have experience working within the role of guidance counsellor in either the secondary or elementary setting; and, that if your school board does not provide elementary guidance counsellors, you have worked in the guidance-counsellor role in an informal setting.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Guidance and Career Education

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The purpose of the Health and Physical Education(H&PE) I/S Part 3 Specialist Additional Qualification (AQ) Course is to extend candidates’ skills and knowledge for design, delivery, and assessment of H&PE programs. This course focuses on the theory and practice underpinning H&PE through exploration of the underlying philosophy and its application for ensuring a healthy, active living education. As a specialist course, it also emphasizes the importance of leadership for supporting and sustaining strong teaching and learning through sound, innovative programming. Theory and discussion of important issues culminate in a practical leadership project to demonstrate the candidate’s foundational learning and understanding of H&PE.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Hold a Basic Qualification in the Intermediate or Senior division
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Health & Physical Education at the Intermediate or Senior level

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Health and Physical Education (H&PE) Primary/Junior Specialist Additional Qualification Course extends, reinforces, and refines candidates’ knowledge and skills for designing, delivering, and assessing program. The course focuses specifically on the development of leadership skills and reflects the expectations outlined in the Ministry of Education curriculum policy documents and the OCT Standards of Practice and Ethical Standards

Through the specialist course, candidates examine the role of the H&PE leader within the healthy schools framework by considering the needs of the whole child, development of physical and health literacy, and commitment to lifelong healthy, active living. Successful candidates demonstrate and share leadership expertise through critical thinking and reflecting, engaging in classroom practice, exploring research, and inquiry to consolidate knowledge of building capacity within a healthy schools community.

Prerequisites

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Integration of Information and Computer Technology (IICT) Specialist Course reviews the concepts and philosophies explored in Part 1 and Part 2 to expand your understanding of technology-enabled learning through a leadership lens. This lens focuses your attention on leadership theory and practice to prepare you for advocacy in the integration of technology in instruction at a school-wide and/or district level.

Identified by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and supported by research as having a positive impact on student learning, integrated technology can provide and extend access to the learning environment and resources while enabling ways for students to communicate, collaborate, connect, and create. Critical to any future leadership role you may assume as a result of this course is recognition of and advocacy for the consistent grounding in the Ontario curriculum of technology-enabled learning; and, as well, your provision of support and guidance as required to ensure that the assessment and evaluation practices related to technology-enabled learning by practitioners within your purview are grounded in the current, relevant policy document Growing Success.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Integration of Information & Computer Technology in Instruction

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Kindergarten, Part 3 Specialist course will engage you in creative, interactive, creative, and meaningful activities to expand your leadership capacity, extend and deepen your understanding and application of early-childhood development theories/approaches, and enhance your knowledge of effective practice for children aged 3.5-6 years. Focused on leadership issues and ideas related to outdoor learning environments, family involvement, collaboration, and mentoring in all areas of the Kindergarten program, the course will include weekly opportunities to connect via chat discussions with your professional learning community (PLC), hands-on challenges, knowledgeable guest speakers, virtual field trips, and practical assignments–each of which will support your own unique learning journey and provide resources for further exploration after completion of the course.

NOTE: The course serves to support the continuous professional learning needs of certified teachers and registered early childhood educators (RECEs/ECEs). At the end of the course, RECEs/ECEs receive the Kindergarten Course Part 3 Certificate which may be eligible for ECE hours. Please check with your provincial authority with respect to the ongoing requirement for maintaining or renewing your ECE License / registration.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Kindergarten

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Primary/Junior Math Specialist Additional Qualification Course will engage you in the overall goal of using a process of inquiry to take your lifelong learner mindset in teaching to the next level of expertise by assuming a leadership role in mathematics’ instruction. Using the lenses of big and bigger ideas; threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge; and, the lens of algebraic reasoning added to the lens of spatial and proportional reason, you will examine the pedagogical content knowledge of the curriculum strands of Patterning and Algebra and Data Management and Probability.

You will also choose areas of interest, controversy, or future directions in mathematics’ instruction for conducting research through academic and classroom experience. With the candidate group, you will facilitate and participate in discussion on the chosen area/topic through online and/or onsite dialogue.

The summative activity for the course is the creation of at least one professional-development activity/experience in mathematics for use with peers. This endeavour will include research on colleagues’ needs and ideas as well as examination of academic research and consultation with the Instructional Leader (IL)

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Mathematics at the Primary or Junior Level

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Hold an Intermediate or Senior Qualification
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Reading

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: Reading Specialist prepares you for leadership by focusing your learning on the knowledge and skills related to literacy learning and instruction through the lens of the Lead Teacher. You will explore structures that support professional learning to bring about school-wide change and increased student engagement and achievement.

As potential/current leaders at the divisional/school/district level, you will investigate the inquiry question: How do I become an agent of change? Throughout the course, you will have opportunities to analyze and interpret data and to moderate student work. These opportunities are embedded in ways that support teacher-leaders for building capacity to work with school-based colleagues in the co-construction of professional learning opportunities to close existing gaps in the working environment. You will collaborate in exploration of current research and effective practices in literacy development, current assessment strategies, and the use of date to move thinking and action forward in both students and educators.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Reading

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Special Education, Specialist Additional Qualification Course extends and reinforces the knowledge and skills from Part I and Part 2 with a specific focus on the development of leadership skills. It employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations, development of learners, program planning and implementation, instructional practices, assessment and evaluation, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning across the divisions. This course supports the enhancement of professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Special Education

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Course: Special Education Specialist extends and reinforces the knowledge and skills from Part I and Part 2 with a specific focus on the development of leadership skills. It employs a critical, pedagogical lens to explore in a holistic and integrated manner theoretical foundations, development of learners, program planning and implementation, instructional practices, assessment and evaluation, the learning environment and ethical considerations related to teaching and learning across the divisions. This course supports the enhancement of professional knowledge, ethical practice, leadership and ongoing learning.

Foundational to this course is exploring the pedagogical, curricular, and environmental challenges and opportunities in teaching, learning, and leading in the secondary school. We will move beyond our own classroom practice and consider how we might lead, support, and challenge colleagues, students, and community to re-conceptualize disability in order to better implement differentiated instruction, accommodations, modifications, and universal design for learning in the subject-specific classroom.

This course will consider special education and its role in schooling and society. We will learn about various disabilities and exceptionalities, and from a student and self-advocate perspective explore disability as an important component of an individual’s identity and how disability can be amplified and integrated in the secondary school setting.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Special Education

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Teacher Librarian Specialist Additional Qualification Course focuses attention on the exploration of leadership theory and leadership practice. Working with peer candidates, you will refine your expertise for implementing collaborative models of inquiry and research relevant to your school’s Library Learning Commons (LLC). This specialist course will also equip you for expanding your leadership role in preparation for assuming overall management of an LLC. Through interactive and self-directed learning focused on major aspects of professional practice and the development of an independent leadership project, you will enhance the leadership knowledge and skills already acquired through Part 1 and Part 2 courses.

You likely already provide leadership in your school community–perhaps through library advocacy or activities such as inquiry-based curriculum delivery for students; professional development for staff; community outreach for parents/guardians–activities encompassed by your school’s LLC and carried out in support of its managing leader. In this specialist course, however, you will learn ways to model professional practice beyond the virtual and physical walls of the LLC and into the whole school community and, thus, to broaden and deepen your impact on student achievement. Finally, this course will prepare you for adding mentoring to professional modelling of practice as you work collaboratively through your school’s LLC with teachers who represent all areas/subjects of the Ontario curriculum.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Librarianship

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Teaching English Language Learners Specialist Additional Qualification Course builds on the knowledge and skills you have already acquired in Part 2. You will use an inquiry-based learning model as a framework for developing a comprehensive understanding of the role of the English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development (ESL and ELD) teacher-leader within both elementary and secondary schools and school boards/districts.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in English as a Second Language

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Visual Arts Part 3/Specialist AQ Course enhances professional leadership practice and the collective integration of knowledge and skills through critical reflection and inquiry. Candidates explore topics and issues of particular relevance to the context in which they work, focusing on change and innovation in Visual Arts practice.

Through a critical, pedagogical lens, candidates explore in a holistic and integrated manner the theoretical foundations of visual arts, learners’ development and the learning environment, program planning and implementation, instructional practices, assessment and evaluation. Critical to course implementation is the modeling of a positive learning environment reflecting care, diversity, and equity that supports candidates’ ongoing learning and enhancement of professional knowledge and instructional leadership.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Visual Arts

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming teaching experience

The Vocal Music P/J Specialist AQ Course extends and refines candidates’ exploration of ways to incorporate music into all areas of the Primary/Junior curriculum and, at the same time, to develop leadership competence for building and nurturing a music community. Candidates closely examine the renewed Ontario Arts Curriculum and music’s big ideas to acquire knowledge and skills for encouraging and nurturing both students’ and colleagues’ creative and critical thinking as well as use of movement, voice, and instruments for expressing thoughts and feelings.

Through course activities, candidates increase their grasp of music education’s theoretical foundations, program planning, Instructional design and practice, and assessment and evaluation. They also explore varied approaches to leadership for establishing and maintaining positive learning and teaching environments. Opportunities for exercising authentic leadership build candidates’ individual capacity and ability to carry out and share research on effective practice, consider ethical issues related to the role of the teacher-leader, and to make impactful decisions with students’ and colleagues’ well being always in mind.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Vocal Music

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience

The Additional Qualification Writing Specialist Course facilitates a culture of pedagogical practice, reflective leadership, knowledge creation, and mobilization. Through it, you will collaboratively cultivate professional efficacy and leadership practices in your educational settings by fostering cultures of critical reflection and inquiry within the context of writing instruction and learning to write.

To begin, you will examine beliefs and theories about leadership in an educational setting, moving forward to integrate these learning theories into their planning in support of writing teachers through staff development and professional-learning communities. You will learn how to foster a culture of critical and reflective leadership practices for teaching writing committed to the creation and sustainment of holistic learning environments; to the nurturing of each student’s identity; and, to students’ intellectual, social, emotional, physical, linguistic, cultural, spiritual, and moral development.

In this Writing Specialist AQ course, you will utilize innovative, leading-edge 21st-Century pedagogies, tools, and processes to create learning environments for educators and students that engage students as active, democratic, global citizens. In addition, you will collaborate to determine the effective integration of assessment practices to facilitate communities of practice that employ equitable and inclusive processes for reflecting, documenting, and interpreting learning.

Prerequisites

• A Certificate of Qualification and Registration with the OCT
• Part 2 completed
• Minimum TWO years certified teaching experience by the first day of the course, subsequent to certification including ONE year in Writing

Documents Required

• Signed Supervisory Officer's Form by course end date confirming required teaching experience