| April 2019 | PROTECTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST |
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| | In this edition: | Helpful online resources | | Governance changes ahead | | Supporting students' mental health | | Student safety and privacy | | Our refreshed website |
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| | | Celebrating great teaching | | Myth/fact | | Come talk to us | | Invite a speaker | | In the community |
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| Parents – bookmark these! Want to know who does what in education? Click here. Discover educational apps for students from K to 12 from Professionally Speaking's Apps Analysis Find out about the Specialist High Skills Majors, an apprenticeship program offered to Gr. 11 and 12 Ontario students. |
| | | Governance changes ahead At its meeting in early March, College Council considered recommendations from its Governance Committee based on a report from an independent review of its governance structure, and made a number of recommendations to the Minister of Education. These included reducing the size of Council to 18 from 37 with an equal number of members from the profession and appointed members; establishing committees with individuals other than Council members; and having statutory committees with an equal number of professional and public members. Changes to the College's governance structure are also among the proposed amendments to Bill 48, The Safe and Supportive Classrooms Act, which were in third reading in the legislative process at the time of publication. |
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| Promoting students' mental health Beginning March 19 in Toronto, the College visited seven Ontario communities to promote its Professional Advisory: Supporting Students' Mental Health. College staff will also stop in Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton, Windsor, Thunder Bay and Sudbury. The advisory provides guidance for Ontario Certified Teachers about how to support students with mental health concerns. For more information, contact [email protected]. |
| | | Student safety and privacy On February 14, 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in R. v. Jarvis, to uphold and strengthen student protection and privacy in learning environments. The College had intervened at the Supreme Court on April 20, 2018, in the appeal of a criminal case involving a teacher who was charged with and acquitted of voyeurism in two lower courts after using a pen camera to take secret videos of female students at his school. As an intervener, the College provided its perspective on students' privacy in learning enivronments, and what constitutes acceptable and professional conduct between a teacher and a student. |
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| Celebrating great teaching The teachers featured in our Great Teaching series embody the standards of practice and the ethical standards set out by the College. In this latest instalment, see how Rebecca Chahine, OCT, teaches her students how small changes can mean big differences when it comes to the environment. |
| | | Myth/fact Myth: The College's mandate includes overseeing the hiring of teachers in Ontario. Fact: Employers, which include district school boards, independent and private schools, hire teachers. Read more about teachers' job statistics. |
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| Check out our new website Have you noticed changes to oct.ca? Finding our site easier to navigate and read? We refreshed our website to create a more user-friendly experience. Let us know what you think! |
| | | Come talk to us Do you have a topic related to the College's work or activities that you would like to present to our Council? Council invites public presentations at its quarterly meetings and at its annual meeting of members. |
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| Invite a speaker Looking for a speaker for your next school council meeting? The College can connect you with experts on teaching standards and other topics related to protecting the public interest. This service is available free across Ontario. For more information, please email us at [email protected]. |
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