Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs by Candidates

FAQs by Associate Teachers

FAQs by Candidates

Q:  What does "Board Notes" mean on the on-line Practicum Registration?

A:  Board Notes is used when a board is very large geographically, you would put North, South, East or West. (i.e. if you live in the Scarborough area of Toronto, you should put East in the Board Notes next to selecting Toronto District School Board).  We will not guarantee a placement in that area of the board, but we will look there first and try to place you in a more convenient location in the board you choose.  We will not look at Board Notes for the Limestone District School Board.

Q:  I am a PJ candidate, do I need to list subjects on the on-line Practicum Registration form?

A:  No.  The fields for subjects are for Intermediate-Senior or Technological Education candidates. 

Q: I am a Primary-Junior candidate and don't know what to list as my courses in Question #2 of the background form?

A:  You don't need to list all of your university courses, your major and minor concentrations are fine.  Just give a snapshot of what you took in university.

Q:  I am a Technological Education candidate so what do I put as my teaching subject?

A:  You should select "Tech" from the drop-down menu in Subject 1, then select your subject area from the BBT drop-down menu.

Q:  Do I need to start arranging my Alternative Practicum right now?

A:  No.  More information will be given to you about the Alternative Practicum when you start the program in the fall.  The on-line Practicum Registration has nothing to do with your Alternative Practicum at all.

Q:  Can I choose the school where I complete my practice teaching?

A:  No.  Candidates must choose four District School Boards from the list provided, in which they could practice teach (no exceptions).  The Practicum Office look at your choices in order or preference, and will assign you to an Associate School in one of the board choices.  If no school can be found in your four choices of board, you will be contacted for additional input.

Q:  Can I be placed in a school board that is not on the list?

A:  No.  Our faculty works only with schools in the District School Boards listed.

Q:  Can I be guaranteed a placement in Kingston?

A:  We do not guarantee a placement in any of your choices but we will contact you for additional input if we cannot find a placement in any of your four choices.  Kingston is the highest demand area, and being a small city, cannot accommodate all the requests for the area.

Q: If I have a job in Kingston, does that give me more of an edge to be placed in Kingston?

A:  No it does not.  Most candidates will have part-time jobs in Kingston and we do not count that as a priority.

Q:  What are my chances of getting my first choice?

A:  The demographics change each year, therefore the demand for certain areas change.  We cannot predict where the greatest demand will be from one year to the next until we get all the candidate information in, nor can we predict which schools will continue participating.

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Q: Do I have to complete my practicum in the same school or several different schools?

A:  Our Faculty uses an Associate School model.  Normally teacher candidates remain at the same Associate School for both practicum blocks.   This immerses the candidates in the school setting so they can get to know the students and staff better, as well as see how the whole year progresses within the same school setting.

Q:  Will I be at the school by myself?

A:  Normally no, however there are some instances where a candidate will be in a school without other Queen's BEd candidates.  We place candidates in cohorts within the various Associate Schools.  You will be given 3 hours of common time per week in the school to meet and work on field-based courses together.  This also allows candidates to have colleague support during the practicum.

Q: Is the Alternative Practicum mandatory?

A: Yes.  All teacher candidates must complete an Alternative Practicum.

Q: If I am an OEE candidate do I complete an Alternative Practicum?

A:  Yes.  The Alternative Practicum (or P3), will relate to your Outdoor & Experiential Education FOCI course.

Q:  Where do I complete my Alternative Practicum?

A:  The Alternative Practicum can be completed anywhere (out of province, out of country, etc.).  The Alternative Practicum must relate to, the Program Focus course (FOCI) that you choose.   More information about the Alternative Practicum will be given to you in the fall.  The Alternative Practicum link also has information of value.  Primary-Junior candidates who do not choose FOCI as their elective course, will automatically be registered in FOCI P00.  Your Alternative Practicum must relate to either your EDST or FOUN elective course, or a topic in PROF 190, 150 or 180.

Q:Do I have to take the FOCI course Educator's Abroad in order to complete my Alternative Practicum out of the country?

A:  No.  You can complete your Alternative Practicum out of the country with any FOCI course as long as you can relate the experience back to your FOCI course.

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FAQs by Associate Teachers

Q:  How do I register for getting an honorarium?

 

A:  Honoraria Requests are completed on-line and School Liaisons are mailed the four-digit code to access the form.  For the 2012-2013 academic year, the site opens on March 4 and closes on March 29, 2013.  The URL for the Honoraria Request form is: https://info.educ.queensu.ca/prac/honoraria/

Q:  Why is there a deadline for requesting honoraria?

 

A:  Due to fiscal year deadlines, we have to requisition all honoraria by a certain date.  The process of getting the correct information to Queen's Financial Services Department is quite lengthy, so requires several weeks to prepare.

 

Q:  Is honorarium paid for the Alternative Practicum?

 

A:  No. Honorarium is not paid for the Alternative Practicum because although it is mandatory, it is not a formal practicum. This practicum is a programmatic requirement not a Ministry requirement. A Record of Practicum Experience form is completed for this practicum.

Q:  How many years of service must a teacher have before becoming an Associate Teacher?

 

A:  As a rule, a minimum of two years is required before becoming an Associate Teacher.

Q: How does a school apply to become an Associate School?

 

A:  School Principals should contact the liaison at their District School Board to indicate their interest in working with the Faculty of Education at Queen's. Principals can also indicate to the Practicum Office, their interest. The demand for Associate Schools in certain geographic areas changes from year to year. Schools will be notified if we are unable to utilize their service as an Associate School in a given year.

Q:  What is the purpose of the teacher candidates' three hour/per week study group and why is it important?

 

A:  The three hour/per week candidate group time is not structured as additional planning time for candidates.  The candidates must learn how to balance planning, teaching, and non-school commitments much like experienced teachers.  However, candidates also have responsibilities for academic inquiry and reflection.  The three hour/per week time allows teacher candidates an opportunity to work together on the assignments for the two field-based courses.  Research shows that learning is enhanced when teacher candidates have opportunities to discuss their teaching with people at a similar career stage.  The meeting time is also invaluable for discussions with the Faculty Liaison.

Q:  What happens if a school can only accommodate one of the teaching subjects (secondary) or one division (elementary) for a teacher candidate over the two practicum blocks?

 

A:  The teacher candidate will still have an opportunity to pick up the experience in the second subject or another division during the second practicum (February/March).  Meanwhile the candidate benefits from an extended placement in one subject or division. 

*Outdoor and Experiential Education (OEE) candidates must get experience in both teaching subjects or divisions in the fall term as they will not be returning to their Associate School for the second practicum.

Q:  What are the Focus courses?

 

A:  Focus courses (FOCI) are courses that allow teacher candidates an opportunity to begin building an area of expertise.  They are intended to be practice-oriented and 'hands-on'.  A few examples are:  School Leadership, Teaching At-Risk Adolescents and Young Adults, Teaching Exceptional Children, and Outdoor and Experiential Education.

Q:  Are Teacher Candidates encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities while at their Associate Schools?

 

A:  They are certainly encouraged to make a reasonable contribution to extra-curricular activities.  They may also co-direct or co-coach with an Associate Teacher, but should not have sole responsibility for a team or activity.  The co-directing or co-coaching arrangement is especially important in cases where the on-campus instructional periods may coincide with playoffs or other culminating activities.

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