EDPR3000 and EDPR4000 Frequently Asked Questions

How many days per week will a Year Two TC be in the classroom?

  • Teacher Candidates will attend placement at the host school for two days per week during the fall term, followed by a 2-week Professional Learning Experience.

What will a Year Two TC do while in placement?

  • Teacher Candidates will engage with curricular content in planning, initiating, sustaining, culminating and assessing learning. In addition, TCs are responsible for creating the environment for learning engagements, facilitating classroom discourse, creating learning engagements within units, and maintaining a high level of professionalism.

Will there be a block?

  • The term “block” is usually associated with periods in the classroom where the Teacher Candidate takes on full responsibility for teaching and learning, while the Mentor Teacher observes and provides feedback. While such independence is important to the TC’s development, we understand that it is neither practical nor appropriate for the Mentor Teacher to completely turn over the classroom to a TC for extended periods.

Blocks are Professional Learning Experiences (PLEs), which facilitate teaching over sustained periods (2 weeks in the fall term of Year Two and 6 weeks in the winter term of Year Two). In preparation for the block, TCs will accept gradual responsibility for independent planning and teaching throughout the fall and winter terms. While there is no requirement for a TC to teach 100% of the day, every day, during the 2-week or 6-week Professional Learning Experience, it is understood that TCs will need significant teaching time to facilitate the development and  demonstration of their skills.

During the fall term, Year TWO TCs should begin to plan and teach independently for specific periods of the day. The length of daily independent teaching time should be differentiated to match the TC's level of comfort and growing ability.  TCs should NOT wait until their block to begin independent planning and teaching.

The success of a practicum is not measured quantitatively by the percentage of the day taught; it is measured qualitatively against exiting requirements for Teacher Candidates as per the Practicum Evaluation Protocol.

What documentation will be required for successful completion of the practicum?

  • Year Two TCs will be responsible for conferencing with the Mentor Teacher throughout the term to ensure they are progressing well and effectively implementing feedback. At the end of each term, the Mentor Teacher is asked to submit a summary report of the TC’s achievement relative to the exiting requirements and to recommend a pass or fail grade for the term.

Why is it important to focus on inquiry, active engagement, and collaboration in teacher education?

  • The 21st century brings new ways of learning. Teacher Candidates who inquire into learning in the Ontario classroom develop strong skills to support their students and think critically about their practice. Tomorrow’s teachers will be required to analyse, deconstruct and wrestle with new philosophies, technologies, and curriculum, and to support diverse student needs. We trust that Mentor Teachers who engage with their TCs in the process of inquiry will also find their practice enriched by these explorations into and conversations about learning.